George Washington’s Death Involved a Sore Throat, Beetles and Blood Letting
The first president of the United States suffered an unusual and perhaps unnecessary death
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American history is filled with the names of those who elicit immediate recognition. Near the top of any list of the most recognizable is George Washington, the first president of the United States. With a life heavily involved in being a soldier and politician, he experienced a lot of excitement and danger. However, he died in a bizarre and unsightly manner, passing away from the effects of a sore throat after suffering through a series of horrible of home cures, including extensive blood letting and having a paste of beetles forced down his throat.
Washington was born into a wealthy Virginia planter family that specialized in growing tobacco and land speculation. The family owned numerous slaves and George himself owned as many as 300 at one time, accumulating a vast fortune. He was a key figure in the establishment of the United States and obtaining freedom from Britain, as he served as the commander of the continental army for eight years and later became the country’s first president, serving two four-year terms (1789–1797).
When Washington passed away on December 14, 1799 just two months shy of his 68th birthday, it might have been assumed that he finally succumbed after a life of hardship. After all, he suffered through a number of serious illnesses during his life, including malaria, tuberculosis and smallpox. However, he was a hearty and active man whose end came about due to a sore throat (officially acute bacterial epiglottitis- the swelling of the cover of the windpipe) and a series of treatments that likely rapidly worsened his condition because of how backwards and ineffective they were in hindsight.
The demise of Washington was both unexpected and swift. Performing a rather standard round of errands and work on his vast property at Mount Vernon on December 12, 1799, Washington rode his horse for hours in a heavy mix of rain, sleet and snow. Upon arriving back home for dinner, he discovered that his guests for the evening had already arrived and dinner was being served. Hoping to avoid appearing rude, he joined the dinner table still wearing his wet clothing…
