The Physical Lincoln

[Ed Steers]

Dr. Soto's diagnosis concluding that Lincoln had the rare disease we refer to today as MEN2B is based primarily on "lip lumps" (See Soto, Chapter 14). Secondly, Dr. Soto points out that Lincoln suffered from constipation, which he did (See Chapter 15). I really do not believe the evidence supports such a conclusion. Lip bumps while uncommon were rare, and are a poor indication of MEN2B, and constipation was a widespread condition for which hundreds of compounds, etc. were marketed in the 1860s. This diagnosis falls into the same category as Marfan's. While Lincoln may have had MEN2B and/or Marfan's there is no evidence in my opinion to support such a conclusion. P.S. The claim has also been made that Lincoln had syphilis and infected Mary; and that Booth contracted syphylis which slowly drove him insane causing him to kill Lincoln - all interesting ideas that lack any basis in fact. One thing we do know for sure, Lincoln was NOT a vampire killer. He was too busy defeating the Confederacy.