Lincoln and Medicine

[Susan Higginbotham]

I got Lincoln and Medicine by Glenna R. Schroeder-Lein a few days ago and have been enjoying it thoroughly. Part of the Concise Lincoln Library, it delves into the medical history of Lincoln and his immediate family and discusses such questions as the claim that Lincoln suffered from Marfan Syndrome and Mary's mental health. It's well sourced, and I recommend it

[STS Lincolnite]

Susan, after your thoughts on this book, I thought about a person/place that could probably really use a copy. Unfortunately, I just can’t be sure sending it would have the desired effect.

Some time back, I visited a small community museum (no, I won’t reveal where it was) that had some connection to Lincoln. I was looking at a Lincoln related museum exhibit and got into a conversation with a museum attendant. We talked a little about Lincoln. He had some of his facts wrong and I attempted to gently correct him but it was to no avail. Oh well. But then he told me that Lincoln was considered a giant during his time because he was so tall. He also then “educated” me on the fact that Lincoln had a disease and that is why he was so tall. The disease made him keep growing and growing and growing and if he hadn’t been killed, he probably would have been 8 or 9 feet tall. You can probably imagine the awkward pause from me after that. After my previous failed attempt to re-direct him on the other little factual errors, I didn’t even bother with this whopper. I just nodded my head and said “wow.”

As for me, I think this book sounds interesting. I will give it a look. Blaine, if you are out there have you read this book and do you have any thoughts on it?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Were all the long nine considered giants or suffering from Marfan? (I am saying he probably wasn't the only "giant".)

[Gene C]

Eva, I do not recall reading the other members of the long nine were considered to suffer from Marfan Syndrome
Part of this Marfan Syndrome theory has to do with Lincoln's height, thinness, and somewhat awkward shuffling walk as he got older. He was not skinny as a young man. He was very fit and strong. He later lost weight as president, due to job pressure and illness.

Link below from the Marfan Foundation
https://www.marfan.org/about/signs

[Eva Elisabeth]

Lincoln's body doesn't look "Marfan" to me, and Dr. Curtis' statement doesn't match that either:
"A smooth clear skin fitting cleanly over well-rounded muscles, sinewy and strong..."

[RJNorton]

I am quoting Dr. Ed Steers:

"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."

I believe Ed's doctorate is in molecular genetics.

There are definitely lots of opinions regarding Lincoln's health. For example, in The Physical Lincoln, Dr. John Sotos writes (regarding his own book), "This book makes the case that Abraham Lincoln did not have Marfan syndrome, but instead, had a much rarer genetic disorder called MEN2B (multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2b)."

Once I read someone's theory that Abraham (and possibly Tad, too) had Stickler syndrome.

[Houmes]

(12-28-2017 11:14 AM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  Susan, after your thoughts on this book, I thought about a person/place that could probably really use a copy. Unfortunately, I just can’t be sure sending it would have the desired effect.

Some time back, I visited a small community museum (no, I won’t reveal where it was) that had some connection to Lincoln. I was looking at a Lincoln related museum exhibit and got into a conversation with a museum attendant. We talked a little about Lincoln. He had some of his facts wrong and I attempted to gently correct him but it was to no avail. Oh well. But then he told me that Lincoln was considered a giant during his time because he was so tall. He also then “educated” me on the fact that Lincoln had a disease and that is why he was so tall. The disease made him keep growing and growing and growing and if he hadn’t been killed, he probably would have been 8 or 9 feet tall. You can probably imagine the awkward pause from me after that. After my previous failed attempt to re-direct him on the other little factual errors, I didn’t even bother with this whopper. I just nodded my head and said “wow.”

As for me, I think this book sounds interesting. I will give it a look. Blaine, if you are out there have you read this book and do you have any thoughts on it?

Lincoln and Medicine--for a slim medical book of 89 pages--is a highly informative reference source, considering it has additional notes (93 pages), bibliography (111), and index (121). Author Glenna Schroeder-Lein doesn't hedge discussing possible diagnoses, treatment, and admits there can be debate regarding medical anomalies and occult pathology. Plus it's cheap book.