Pox, Polio, & Poison in the Oval Office
A History of Presidential Illnesses and the Decisions They Shaped
From deadly smallpox that scarred presidents to FDR’s carefully hidden paralysis and the often unsuspected poisonings that haunted others, the story of presidential maladies is as fascinating as it is human.
Research Sources
Archival research uncovers the maladies of the presidents, some of which are not well known.
Weekly Quiz
From Pox to Polio, Challenge your presidential wits.
Expert Analysis
A history-minded physician describes presidential medical conditions, often with new possibilities
Today in Presidential Health History
November 9
1813: Andrew Jackson destroyed a Creek Indian village, killing more than 500 people.
1906: Theodore Roosevelt visited Panama, the first president to leave the United States while in office.
1912: Dwight Eisenhower was knocked out trying to tackle Jim Thorpe.