The Health of the Presidents: The 41 United States Presidents Through 1993 from a Physician's Point of View [Hardcover]

John R. Bumgarner (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0899509568 | ISBN-13: 978-0899509563 | Publication Date: May 1994

The complete medical history of each of the 41 U.S. presidents, emphasizing illnesses that affected them during their administrations, is here set out for the lay reader by a physician. The presidents' health care regimens and physicians' treatments are also discussed.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Within the last two years there have been several excellent investigations of the medical health of presidents, but this is the first one to provide a chronologically arranged review of the health of all chief executives throughout their lives. Although it lacks the depth and analysis of Robert Gilbert's The Mortal Presidency: Illness and Anguish in the White House (LJ 11/15/92) or Robert Ferrell's Ill-Advised: Presidential Health and Public Trust (LJ 9/15/92), the convenience of its five-to ten-page summaries in one source makes it worthy of consideration. The readable case studies are enlivened by the author's medical opinions, which stress that until the 1930s medical treatment was primitive. It is amazing that more presidents did not die from cures that included purging, bleeding, and unsanitary, groping surgery than the actual illness. To his credit, Bumgarner does not offer psychological profiles of the contemporary presidents, though the book would have been strengthened by a conclusion summarizing the evolution of presidential medical care. Recommended for public library circulating collections or as a reference complementing the Encyclopedia of the American Presidency (LJ 1/94).
Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, Pa.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"the readable case studies are enlivened by the author's medical opinions....Recommended" -- Library Journal

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 330 pages
• Publisher: Mcfarland & Co Inc Pub (May 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0899509568
• ISBN-13: 978-0899509563
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,226,560 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars It just hurts, April 27, 2007

By 

SamIam (South Dakota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Health of the Presidents: The 41 United States Presidents Through 1993 from a Physician's Point of View (Paperback)

A potentially fascinating topic sullied by lazy writing. This long-winded manuscript screams for a ghost writer. An editor wouldn't have hurt, either, as several non-sequiturs jar the reading experience. Finally, mistakes doom this treatise to the academic dustbin. For example, the author has Theodore Roosevelt writing a letter in February of 1919; quite a feat, as Roosevelt had died six weeks prior. In addition, Bumgarner alleges that Roosevelt was shot while President--another inaccuracy, as Taft, not Roosevelt, was President preceding the 1912 election. Such errors, though perhaps more forgiveable in another milieu, have no excuse in a book ABOUT PRESIDENTIAL HEALTH.

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite books, August 18, 2007

By 

Pat Trotta (Jamestown, NC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Health of the Presidents: The 41 United States Presidents Through 1993 from a Physician's Point of View (Paperback)

I have owned this book for several years. I have a small collection of presidental books and this book, along with "First Mothers" are my two favorites. It is fascinating to find out health histories of the presidents, especially what went on in Woodrow Wilson's White House. I also have a book on Sarah Polk written by Dr. Bumgarner. I totally enjoy his work.