5 ms·

At 9:30 a.m., another bloodletting of 18 ounces was performed followed by a similar withdrawal at 11 a.m. At noon, an enema was administered. or Dr. Craik ord

At 9:30 a.m., another bloodletting of 18 ounces was performed followed by a similar withdrawal at 11 a.m. At noon, an enema was administered. or Dr. Craik ordered another bleeding. This time, 32 ounces were removed i wonder how much lifespan this measures did take off of him, in this particular instance maybe hours, days, or even some weeks (of course it could have also been the primary cause of death). but all this bollocks throughout a lifespan could well be measured in whole lost years. of course, i have no idea if this is true or not, it may also be that this kind of measures, if a body is just healthy enough, have no impact at all in the long run.

stevenwoo 8y ago
A weird case of having too much money (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_the_United_States_by_net_worth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_the_Unit...) since cutting edge medicine he could afford at that time would be quackery today? The blistering agents applied in his throat and externally seem pretty painful, one today on my hand or foot is quite a hassle, on top of the bloodletting weakening a person. The 40% blood on his deathbed sounds incredible in hindsight but there are a few people who regularly give blood today as often as is permitted every couple of months without apparent ill effects.
- avar 8y ago
  An adult male has around 5 liters of blood, when you donate blood they're withdrawing at most around 500 ml, so 10%. There's a huge difference in the health effects of losing 10% and 40% of your blood.
- leetcrew 8y ago
  it might not be as painful as it sounds. i lost a large amount of blood once (to the point of browning out), and it basically feels like being really, really drunk. you don't really understand what's happening and you're pretty numb to things like pain.
  - exolymph 8y ago
    That sounds kinda nice!
- chasil 8y ago
  You're right that he had too much money. After reading this, my sympathy is tempered. https://www.amazon.com/Never-Caught-Washingtons-Relentless-Pursuit/dp/1501126393 https://www.amazon.com/Never-Caught-Washingtons-Relentless-P... Washington had hundreds of slaves, yet he sent his family and political allies repeatedly against the single escapee, Ona Judge in Portsmouth, NH. The governor of New Hampshire surely regretted his involvement of his daughter. That was quite a story. It bothers me about him. I think of the three-fifths compromise (which most people around me are astonished to grasp), and the lives of the founders make me cringe.
  - stevenwoo 8y ago
    Yes, I was angry when I learned about that in junior high or high school and the teachers usually wave that off with something like it was common back then, but there were plenty of others who did not have slaves.
walshemj 8y ago
From the sudden onset and the fever I wonder if Washington had an episode of sepsis. Last month I went from felling ok to "I need a repeat prescription" to shaking and running a temperature with massive drop on blood pressure. The next day I went to hospital started in the ordinary renal ward then to the serious cases renal then to critical care unit with 4 tubes in me. I also got read the riot act about not calling 911 immediately
- watersb 8y ago
  Glad you are ok. Glad for modern medicine. For all the troublesome aspects of distribution and administration, it is better than nothing, and better now than it was hundereds of years ago.

stevenwoo 8y ago

A weird case of having too much money (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_the_United_States_by_net_worth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidents_of_the_Unit...) since cutting edge medicine he could afford at that time would be quackery today? The blistering agents applied in his throat and externally seem pretty painful, one today on my hand or foot is quite a hassle, on top of the bloodletting weakening a person. The 40% blood on his deathbed sounds incredible in hindsight but there are a few people who regularly give blood today as often as is permitted every couple of months without apparent ill effects.

avar 8y ago
An adult male has around 5 liters of blood, when you donate blood they're withdrawing at most around 500 ml, so 10%. There's a huge difference in the health effects of losing 10% and 40% of your blood.
leetcrew 8y ago
it might not be as painful as it sounds. i lost a large amount of blood once (to the point of browning out), and it basically feels like being really, really drunk. you don't really understand what's happening and you're pretty numb to things like pain.
- exolymph 8y ago
  That sounds kinda nice!
chasil 8y ago
You're right that he had too much money. After reading this, my sympathy is tempered. https://www.amazon.com/Never-Caught-Washingtons-Relentless-Pursuit/dp/1501126393 https://www.amazon.com/Never-Caught-Washingtons-Relentless-P... Washington had hundreds of slaves, yet he sent his family and political allies repeatedly against the single escapee, Ona Judge in Portsmouth, NH. The governor of New Hampshire surely regretted his involvement of his daughter. That was quite a story. It bothers me about him. I think of the three-fifths compromise (which most people around me are astonished to grasp), and the lives of the founders make me cringe.
- stevenwoo 8y ago
  Yes, I was angry when I learned about that in junior high or high school and the teachers usually wave that off with something like it was common back then, but there were plenty of others who did not have slaves.

walshemj 8y ago

From the sudden onset and the fever I wonder if Washington had an episode of sepsis. Last month I went from felling ok to "I need a repeat prescription" to shaking and running a temperature with massive drop on blood pressure. The next day I went to hospital started in the ordinary renal ward then to the serious cases renal then to critical care unit with 4 tubes in me. I also got read the riot act about not calling 911 immediately

watersb 8y ago
Glad you are ok. Glad for modern medicine. For all the troublesome aspects of distribution and administration, it is better than nothing, and better now than it was hundereds of years ago.