Did Mary Lincoln Suffer from Pernicious Anemia?

[RJNorton]

(07-17-2016 12:00 AM)Gencor Wrote:  I believe that there couldn't have been an autopsy, or if there was one, it disappeared before it was ever made public. The reason I believe this, is because if there was an autopsy, there would not have been all of these years of speculation about what she died of. We would have it confirmed and know for sure. Her cause of death, if anyone really knew back then, would be recorded in history as fact. We would not be speculating and guessing, even today, if there was a true record of the cause of death.

Genna, on January 3rd, 1889, Mary's doctor, Dr. Thomas Dresser, wrote a letter to Jesse Weik. He wrote about Mary's death as follows:

"She died in this City July 16th 1882 In the late years of her life certain mental peculiarities were developed which finally culminated in a slight apoplexy, producing paralysis, of which she died. Among the peculiarities alluded to, one of the most singular was the habit she had during the last year or so of her life of immersing herself in a perfectly dark room, and for light using a small candle light, even when the sun was shining bright out of doors. No urging would induce her to go out into the fresh air. Another peculiarity was the accumulation of large quantities of silks and dress goods by the trunk and cart load, which she never used, and which accumulated until it was really feared that the floor of the store room would give way. She was bright and sparkling in conversation and her memory remained singularly good up to the very close of her life. Her face was animated and pleasing; and to me she was always an interesting woman; and while the whole world was finding fault with her temper and disposition, it was clear to me that the trouble was a cerebral disease."

What I think may have happened is that Dresser's wording..."certain mental peculiarities were developed which finally culminated in a slight apoplexy, producing paralysis, of which she died" plus his use of the phrase "cerebral disease"... may have been misinterpreted as meaning a brain tumor. From there the story became embellished by adding an autopsy. So we start out with "cerebral disease," and over time the story of Mary's death is enlarged to include an autopsy which showed a brain tumor. This is false as no autopsy was performed.

As far as I know, there is not 100% agreement among doctors as to what she died of. (Blaine, please correct me if I am wrong.)