Mary's Reputation

[RJNorton]

Laurie, I agree. Almost universally, authors agree Abraham did not help Mary discipline the children.

I might add that he was also away from home a lot. Twice a year, during the years he rode the circuit, Lincoln departed Springfield and traveled the Eighth Judicial Circuit. Although the border of the circuit shifted over time it was located in central Illinois and included as many as 14 counties. Along with a small group of attorneys and a judge, Lincoln traveled to the various county seats to try any case that was ready. In essence they were bringing the court to the people. The small group often traveled from town to town by horseback and would spend at least a few days (and sometimes up to a week or more) in each county seat trying cases. The group completed the 400-500 mile loop in roughly 11 weeks. So he was gone 22 weeks of the year leaving Mary alone without husband. Sometimes, when there was an opportunity to quickly visit family in Springfield during the circuit ride, the others did so while Abraham often did not.

[JMadonna]

Jerry,

Believe it or not, I tend to agree with you on this particular subject (Mary/Hillary) in that both were/are intelligent women with a good instinct for politics

LoL,
Laurie you agree with me far more than you'll let yourself admit.

In my uneducated opinion, Mary suffered from an obsessive-compulsive condition (which I now believed is called bi-polar). She was committed because she was obsessed with protecting Robert and compulsive about spending money to make herself feel better.

She lost 3 sons and saw her husband murdered while sitting next to him. Hard to be cheerful after all that.

[LincolnMan]

I read that an autopsy on Mary Lincoln revealed she had a brain tumor. This was found while I was reading the Civil War Times Illustrated magazine of November 1968. The author of the article was Patricia Bell ("Mary Todd Lincoln- A Profile"). I was somewhat stunned. I don't remember hearing anywhere that Mrs. Lincoln was found to have such a tumor. Could it be that her behaviors (at least some of them) were in some way directly the result of the tumor? It is certainly food for thought.

[RJNorton]

Hi Bill. I can answer that in one sentence.

There was no autopsy or even any kind of post mortem examination of her body.

There has been some interesting research on her cause of death. For example, there is the research of Dr. Norbert Hirschhorn and the late Dr. Robert Feldman on this subject. Their research indicates Mary died of tabes dorsalis which is a condition that results from the destruction of the dorsal columns in the spinal cord, normally responsible for position sense. Loss of position sense causes severe gait and leg ataxia (balance and motor control problems). The authors state that tabes dorsalis can be the result of diabetes, spinal cord injury, or infection (syphilis). In 1863 Mary was involved in a serious carriage accident, and at the age of 60, in Pau, France, Mary took a fall from a stepladder and injured her spinal cord. Tabes dorsalis results in a staggering wide-based gait, postural instability, pain, and paresthesias.

For details on this research please see "Mary Lincoln's Final Illness: A Medical and Historical Reappraisal" in the Journal of the History of Medicine (Oxford University Press, Volume 54, October 1999, pp 511-542).

[LincolnMan]

Roger:
Thanks for the info. I think I remember reading something about that in "The Madness of Mary Lincoln." Like I said, I was stunned when I read that claim in the old issue of CWTI. It does sound like Mrs. Lincoln was very physically ill. That being the case, it makes her a more sympathetic character. However, it doesn't fully answer why she was the "hellcat" that she was reported to be by so many. I will refer myself to the research you cited. Thanks Roger.

[LincolnMan]

And speaking of "The Madness of Mary Lincoln"- Jason Emerson has joined our Forum. Welcome!

[RJNorton]

Yes, a great big welcome to Jason Emerson! Now I am holding my breath that everything I've said about Mary is at least half-right. I am a kindergartner (at best) in Jason's class.

[LincolnMan]

Roger: Any known reason why there was no autopsy on Mrs. Lincoln? I'm thinking Robert Todd Lincoln made sure it didn't happen-just a pure guess.

[RJNorton]

Hi Bill. I have exchanged several e-mails with Jason Emerson today, and he plans on getting on the site when he has a chance. Hopefully he will see this question. I do not have a specific answer other than it would be my guess that it was a family decision.

[LincolnMan]

Yup-that's my guess too. Can't wait to hear more!

[Laurie Verge]

I don't know why, but I am under the impression that autopsies then and now are not required if a person is under a doctor's care at the time of their death.

[LincolnMan]

Laurie: Not sure about that either. I was thinking that because she was such a high profile person that an autopsy would be done. Yet by the same token it may be the reason why one wasn't done. Robert Todd Lincoln certainly wanted as much privacy for his family as possible...

[J. Beckert]

I can only speak to N.J. Law, but here an autopsy is required for any unnatural, medically unattended or suspicious death. In certain cases, the family wishes may be considered.

[RJNorton]

Laurie, certainly that was the case. Roughly 7 months before she died she was examined by several doctors, and they wrote:

"We find that Mrs Lincoln is suffering from chronic inflammation of the spinal cord, chronic disease of the kidneys, and commencing cataract of both eyes. The disorder of the spinal cord is the consequence of an injury received some time since and has resulted in considerable loss of power of both lower extremities so as to lessen their use and to render walking without assistance very unsafe, and going unaided down stairs impossible. The nature of the spinal trouble, progressive and will end in paralysis of the lower extremities. Connected with the spinal disease and one of its evidences is the reflex paralysis of the iris of the eye, and the reduction of the sight to one-tenth natural standard, together with much narrowing of the field of vision. The sight will gradually grow worse."

[LincolnMan]

Certainly was not physically well. How she suffered-physically,emotionally, and mentally.