Wednesday, July 4, 2018

4th of July - President Zachary Taylor's 1850 fatal tragedy

A Fatal Fourth 

After participating in July 4 ceremonies at the Washington Monument in 1850, Zachary Taylor fell ill. He drank freely of ice water during the event and after reaching the White House gorged on cherries with iced milk. Within five days he was dead. It was believed he contracted cholera. Waterborne diseases, including cholera, typhoid fever, and dysentery, were not uncommon in Washington, D.C. before the advent of modern plumbing and sewerage and water chlorination.
Zachary Taylor (1784-1850)    1849-1850