Tad Lincoln

[Jim Garrett]

The picture of Jack on his deathbed was recently published in "The Last Lincolns", which I highly recommend (available at the Surratt Tavern bookstore). It was presumed that Jack died from blood poisoning. Reading the accounts/descriptions of Jack illness, my guess is that he succumbed to MRSA. MRSA is a form of the anti-biontic resistant fleash eating bateria which will manifest itself as large boils (usually forming under the arms or crotch area. The illness can be particularly persistant and as described, is resistant and resilient. Today there are five anti-biotics used to treat MRSA, but the nature of the illness often means going through several of the anti-biotics to find which one the infection will respond to. I would imagine in Jacks case, he probably didn't stand much of a chance.