17991February 12 George Washington, the first president of the United States (1732.2-1799.12.14) at the end of his life. The snow stopped in the morning 10. It's sunny at 4 pm. The temperature at night is 28 degrees Fahrenheit.

That morning, Washington rode around the manor and occasionally got sick. Two days later, he died in extreme pain because of sore throat, hoarse voice and difficulty breathing. He is only 67 years old. In this regard, people can't help but ask, what disease killed Washington in just two days?

According to historical records, 1799 65438+ 14 at 2-3 a.m. in February, Washington woke up from his sleep and felt difficulty breathing and swallowing pain. At dawn, Washington asked his wife Martha to call his old friend and secretary, tobias Lear, and asked Lear to bleed him about 250 ml (bloodletting was a common method to treat various diseases at that time). On the morning of 10, Dr. James Crick (70 years old) and Dr. gustavus Brown (52 years old) arrived one after another. After examination, the patient was initially diagnosed as an abscess around tonsil. After the second bloodletting, the condition did not improve. Two doctors invited Dr. Elisha Cullen Dick (32 years old) for consultation. During the waiting period, the two doctors did not rashly adopt the method of incision and drainage, but bled Washington for the third time. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, Dr. Dick came. During the consultation, Dick boldly proposed to do tracheostomy for Washington, but failed to form a resolution. In desperation, the three doctors decided to bleed the patient for the fourth time. In a short period of 2 1 hour, Washington * * * bled four times with a total blood volume of 2000 ml. After the bloodletting, Washington's body has been extremely weak. Nevertheless, the patient insisted on taking a seat instead of lying quietly in bed. At 8 o'clock in the evening, Washington was unable to take medicine and almost suffocated every time he swallowed. At about 10 in the afternoon, the condition seems to have eased. 10: 29, George Washington stopped breathing, and three doctors stood helplessly by the bed.

speculate

There have been various speculations about the cause of death in Washington, such as diphtheria, rubella, acute laryngitis, abscess around tonsils, Ludwig's angina and acute epiglottitis. Grubs are common in children and generally have no difficulty swallowing. Barking and coughing have never been mentioned in the whole course of Washington, so this disease is unlikely. From the point of view of modern medicine, it is impossible for Washington to die of picking up an abscess around the body for the following reasons:

Within (1)2 1 hour, the abscess around tonsil will not form complete respiratory obstruction;

(2) Three doctors examined the patients one after another, but none of them confirmed that there was a localized abscess in the pharynx. Looking back on Washington's illness, it is obvious that he has the following characteristics: sudden onset, dysphagia, sore throat, unclear pronunciation, airway obstruction, irritability, and temporary relief before death. These symptoms and signs are consistent with acute epiglottitis, an emergency in otolaryngology.

Washington 1799 died before the laryngoscope. If indirect laryngoscope is used, the correct diagnosis can be made. However, indirect laryngoscope is dangerous for acute epiglottitis and may kill patients during surgery. If Dr. Dick's advice is adopted and tracheotomy is carried out in time, Washington's life may be saved. However, if this great man dies in the operation, how will future generations evaluate this move?

posthumous

After Washington's death, his former revolutionary war partner and congressman Harry Lee praised him: "He was a citizen, the first person in the war, the first person in peacetime and the first person in the eyes of his compatriots."

Washington has set many precedents for the future America. He chose to cede the presidency to john adams peacefully. This precedent of no more than two presidents is regarded as the most important influence of Washington on the United States.

He is also called the father of America by many people and regarded as the most important founder of America. He has also become a typical image of the benevolent founder of the world. Americans always refer to him as the father of America when they talk about him. He also ranked 27th among the 65,438+000 celebrities who influenced world history written by Mack hart, and was regarded as the most important president in American history by most scholars.

Although Washington won the highest rank at that time-Samsung's Lieutenant General, as time went on, more and more generals (starting from Grant) won the same and higher ranks (four stars and five stars), and it seems that Washington's achievements were not as good as theirs. It was not until 1976 that Congress passed a bill to make Washington an American army general (equivalent to the rank of grand marshal in the Soviet Union and other countries) and officially declared him the highest rank in the United States, surpassing all marshals (five-star generals) and generals in the past and in the future.

1789, 10 year10.5, Washington borrowed a copy of the National Law from the only library in Manhattan at that time. This book is a collection of essays on international relations and a record of debates in the British House of Commons. Washington himself didn't sign the loan column, but his assistant Letterman wrote "President" in the loan column. According to the regulations, these two books should be returned one month later, but they have been missing for a long time, and this was discovered by a librarian in new york 220 years later.

If inflation is included, after 220 years, the fine for these two books will increase to 300,000 US dollars, which is about 1.8 million yuan. However, new york Library said that it would not recover the fine, and only hoped that the two books could be returned.