Our 16th. President was ripped

[J. Beckert]

I've never heard he split railroad ties, but interesting none the less.

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk...42759.html

[Ashley Norman]

Yes, in fact he was outwordly larger child becasue he had something that actully made him become so big its called Marfans Syndrome and with that he was always quite strong and built well. In his teen years I believe was when he cut the railroad ties. He was a very strong man and very driven. Many people look more for the presidential years. Which isnt bad but on any case he was ver interesting in office as well as out of office.

[L Verge]

Be careful with assuming that the theory about Marfan's Syndrome is correct. Very reputable people in the medical field have given substantial evidence to refute it.

[Ashley Norman]

Your right assumptions are bold. I did how ever look into it before posting and your right Marfans is hard to prove in many cases. One difention is Marfan's casues long limbs and long fingers. thus safely for now can attribute to this in Abraham's case. I can do more research and see if there may be some else to link to. I wont shut anything out. And very true the medical field is becoming very intelligent and they are doing a great job to look into things like Marfan's and update the information. For now untill I can get more research done, I will say Marfan's and if I need to be corrected I will be gladly corrected.

[LincolnMan]

The doctor's who examined Lincoln while on his death-bed were very amazed at his physical strength for a man his age. According to a friend of mine who has studied Marfan's ( and is an M.D.)-it would not have been likely that Lincoln had the illness from the fact of his physical strength alone. His vote is "no."

[Ashley Norman]

I noticed hus strenght says othernwise while his height says yes for the time period. I know for sure he had something that made him larger and grow o be as tall as he was.

[LincolnMan]

It might be said that Lincoln was "Marfan-like" because of his physical size.

[Ashley Norman]

(11-18-2012 08:31 PM)LincolnMan Wrote:  It might be said that Lincoln was "Marfan-like" because of his physical size.

true. that could be a possibility but he did have a a genetic thing that contributued to that as well

[Ashley Norman]

But any who there are may things that con or could have contributed to why he was his hieght when people were not that tall. I am 5'2' and that day in time I would have been slightly above average in height. i like though that they are making progress in the medical profession and can maybe one day accuratly define what it was if there was. I am honestly starting to wonder if there was with all the spectualtion of Abraham's height. I'm glad as well to see that people look into it as I have and continue doing.

[RJNorton]

I am quoting Dr. Ed Steers, a member of our forum here:

"It (Marfan's) is an autosomally inherited genetic disease affecting the connective and skeletal tissue. Prevalence is about 4 -6 in 100,000. The affected person is usually tall and thin with long extremities. The aorta is usually weakened and involved in over 80% of the deaths. Several years back a west coast physician "diagnosed" Lincoln as having Marfan's based primarily on his physique and a photograph. Most, if not all, other physicians and Lincoln students feel such a diagnosis is without any medical or historical basis. While Lincoln's physique is somewhat consistent with Marfan's, so are a lot of NBA players if restricted to that characteristic alone. Lincoln had virtually no other symptoms or signs of Marfan's. He was quite muscular, and possessed considerable strength up to his death. He showed no signs of the disease of which there are many. It was picked up by the media only because it involved Lincoln and persists today for no other reason than that."

[Laurie Verge]

It was NOT totally unusual for a man of the Civil War era to be six feet in height or more, so I don't think we can conclusively use the height of Lincoln as a factor to prove that he had Marfan's. I once saw reference to a Union soldier who was captured and paraded through the cities of the South. He was over seven feet in height, and the propaganda line was that Yankees were monsters who were coming into the South to eat women and children!

[Ashley Norman]

I am going to respectfully bow out of this topic I see that I am wrong, so I am going to revert back to researching this topic and see where that takes me.
thank you for the information from your friend. Its very interesting. Didnt look at it that way.

[Rob Wick]

Ashley,

I've studied Lincoln since I was 7 years old (I'm 49 now), and every day I realize how much there is I have to learn. There's absolutely nothing wrong with putting your opinion out there and then finding out you need to do more research on a topic. I took a major chance in asking people to read the prologue to the book I'm writing on Ida Tarbell because you never know how people will react. Doing that turned out to be a wise move, since I received excellent feedback. I have a good friend named R.B. Bernstein who is the author of two books on the Revolutionary era, The Founding Fathers Reconsidered and a small biography of Thomas Jefferson. He reads my work with a sharp, critical eye because he wants to help me make it better. His comments are often sharp and pointed, but so far I've yet to get bad advice from him.

My point in all this is always feel free to make your views known, but always keep in mind that you can learn to see something in a new way. We're all pretty mild here so never forget that you're among friends.

Best
Rob

[Ashley Norman]

Rob, the reason I am bowing out of the topic is to simply do more research before I further my view. And your right learning os a good thing and I am learning from this site.
I from a young age have tried to study many things such as Abraham and Mary and many other men as George Washington. I realize I may not sound as smart as I dont always project my intelligence in evey day conversation I'm working on how to to combine the teo and be able to show my intelligence in converesation. I am as well glad to know I am among friends most people I come across dont like the intelligent girl and don't stick around so needless to say Inam glad to know I am among friends. You'll find I know much more about Mary then I dont about Marfan's.
Thank you for your kind words.
Ashley

[Mylye2222]

(11-18-2012 08:31 PM)LincolnMan Wrote:  It might be said that Lincoln was "Marfan-like" because of his physical size.

Sure, and Marfa-Like doesn't mean you have the syndrome actually. And when he was thin and looked sick, it was during the Presidency, with all the stress he had to take endure. And intense anxiety can cut any appetite.