Evening journal., 1899-12-14
FATHER OF
HIS COUNTRY
Observance of the One Hundredth
Anniversary of the Death Of
George Washington.
COUNTRY's FIRST PRESIDENT

SION OF THE DEMISE OF AMER
IcA's DELIvERER-THE TREAT
MENT OF THE DISEASE THAT
CARRIED HIM OFF.
Wilmington will observe the one hun
dredth anniversary of the death of
George Washington. The events will
include the exercises in the New-Cen- |
tury Club building under the auspices
of the Daughters of the American
Revolution.
Dupont Post, G. A. r., will be ad-
dressed by Captain Peter b. Ayars, and
music will be furnished by the choir of
Delaware Avenue Baptist Church.
In Red Mems Hall the Improved Or
der Of Red Men will have an interesting
program. This will include addresses
and music directed by Mrs. Florence N.
II. Fisher.
The Improved order of Red Men will
also hold special exercises.
A recent discussion of Washington
illness and the cause of his death has
been brought out by Charles w. Bump,
of Baltimore, who has told of an ac-
count of the treatment accorded TO the
Father Of His Country by his three
physicians-Drs James Craik, Elisha
c. Dick and Gustavus Richard Brown.
The account was based upon two state
ments by the physicians recently found
in the files of rare old newspapers and
periodicals One was a history of the
case, signed by Drs. Craik and Dick,
and printed in the Baltimore Federal
Gazette for December 20, 1893, twelve
III ~
other was an article by DR.. Dick, writ
ten in 1908 for the Philadelphia Medi-
cal and Physical Journal, a short-lived
periodical, now rarely found. A pri-
vate letter Of one of the three physi
clans was also quoted.
Washington is generally supposed to
have died from what is now known to
medical men as acute Oedematous
laryngitis, but what was then classified
as quinsy or Group Of adults. He caught
cold while riding over his estate in
bad weather on Thursday, December
12, 1893, and on the following day COM
planned of hoarseness. Before dawn
on Saturday he aroused Mrs. Washing
ton and said that he was i'll, but
would not let her summon doctor un-
til day broke. The physician first sent
for was DR.. Craik, who had been Wash
ingtons intimate friend for nearly
half a century. When he came, he saw
that the ex-president was in great pain,
and he asked that DR.. Dick be summon
cd from Alexandria and DR.. Brown
from Port Tobacco.
In spite Of their efforts to alleviate
the sick man, he died about IL o'clock
that Saturday night, within twenty
hours after he had told his wife that he
was ill., His death was directly due to
strangulation, caused by the swelling
of his larynx until it closed and pre-
vented his breathing.
The treatment which was given
Washington consisted mainly Of a sue
cession Of blood lettings and OF the
frequent administration of mercury in
the form of calomel and Of tartar
emetic. From the physicians state
inents It has been computed that al
least FIVE pounds Of blood were drawn
in twelve hours, once by an overseer oi
the estate at Washington's direction
and three times by the physicians aftei
their arrival, the last bleeding taking
no less than two pounds from him. j
is stated that after this last bleeding
Washington. with much pain and diff
Guilty, contrived to have them under
stand that he wished to "die withou
further interruption"
Modern biographers have almos
uniformly condemned the treatment o
the physicians as "little short of mur
der" and it was shown that even witt
the scanty medical knowledge Of hun
dred years ago the methods were vic
lently assailed in this country and Eu
rope. Mr.. Bump quotes from attack
pamphleteer and political writer, by
physician of Savannah and another G
London, all within four months {
Washington's death.
"Of still more Importance, he saiC
is the knowledge which is disclose
in DR.. Dicks article. We learn ther
that the physicians themselves dis
agreed as to the right treatment. d
Dick roundly condemned the excessiy
blood-letting as terribly weakening Z
a time when Washington needed ever
iota of his strength. The surgic;
operation of tracheOtomy or openin
the windpipe to admit air into Il
lungs was a novelty. but DR.. Dick ha
read of a few cases where it had bee
practiced and he strongly advocate
that it be performed on Washingto
The other two physicians, howeve
were older men. and they were too col
servative to adopt the suggestion. A
ter Washington had died one Of theI
writing to the other, admits that th'
were in error in refusing to adopt I
Dicks suggestion"
EXERCISES AT DOVER.
An elaborate program has been pr
pared for the commemoratiOn of 4
one hundredth anniversary Of the dea
of Washington at the state capital I'll
evening by the Dover Century Gu
Governor Ebe w. Tunnell hac accel
ed the clubs invitation to preside. A
dresses will be made by Judge Jam
Pennewill, Mayor George Millingt
and many others.
Look at our mixtures before buyi