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Numerous US presidents have undergone surgical procedures during their time in office that were not shared with the public. The presidents highlighted in this work, from George Washington to Ronald Reagan, span centuries of American history and medical evolution. Written in language easy to understand for non-medical readers, this book gives insight into these surgical operations, which were often performed in secrecy or hazardous conditions. It highlights the surgeries of nine presidents, providing extensive details about the procedures and events surrounding them.
In order to contextualize each operation, the author, a surgeon, bases his writing on an extensive review of medical and surgical documents, often written by surgeons personally involved in the procedures. With this information, he illuminates the political and economic events that influenced surgical decisions over hundreds of years. The historical ramifications of these surgeries are substantiated by peer reviewed publications, original documents, and newspaper articles.
List of contents
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter One. George Washington: "Cut away-deeper, deeper still"
Chapter Two. Andrew Jackson: Red-Haired Hothead
Chapter Three. James A. Garfield: "Yes, I shot the president, but his physicians killed him"
Chapter Four. Grover Cleveland: The President with a Rough Spot on the Roof of His Mouth
Chapter Five. William McKinley: Brought to the Wrong Hospital, Got the Wrong Operation, by the Wrong Surgeon
Chapter Six. Franklin D. Roosevelt: Did He Have Surgery for Malignant Melanoma?
Chapter Seven. Dwight D. Eisenhower: Did Eisenhower Have Crohn's Disease?
Chapter Eight. Lyndon B. Johnson: Workaholic and Chain-Smoker
Chapter Nine. Ronald Reagan: Reagan to the Surgeon, "Please tell me you are a Republican"
Summary and Conclusions: Medical and Political Implications
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Per-Olof Hasselgren is a surgeon at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and the George H.A. Clowes Distinguished Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. He has a longstanding interest in medical and American history.
