The grisly death of the nation's 1st president

Credit History Rewound / Flickr

/

Flickr

We’re coming up on an anniversary this weekend. It’s probably not one you’ve noted before. On Dec. 14, 1799, the nation’s first president, George Washington, died at his home, Mount Vernon.

It was not an easy death, primarily because of the medical treatments he was given. Dr. Howard Markel is a physician and medical historian at the University of Michigan and he’s written an essay about that.

Listen to Dr. Markel discuss George Washington's treatment below.

Copyright 2021 Michigan Radio. To see more, visit Michigan Radio.