# How many people knew FDR could not walk? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 7, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075 "2013-04-07T14:41:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/61 "2013-04-09T17:05:56Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > As already mentioned, ‘wheelchair-user’ is the generally preferred term. > > I’m not disabled, but I’ve met a few people who got quite annoyed about the description ‘wheelchair bound’. Even someone very profoundly disabled doesn’t literally spend their life in a wheelchair, and people I’ve spoken to said that words like ‘bound’ or ‘confined’ sound very negative, restrictive and slightly patronising, rather than just describing an aid that someone has chosen to use. Yes, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/62 "2013-04-09T20:13:42Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > …So if you want to read that as a man who was confined to a wheelchair and receiving physical therapy, you certainly can. But if you choose to read it as a vigorous man who made some minor concessions, no one would correct you. I liked the recent Bill Murray-as-FDR movie _Hyde Park on Hudson_ a lot, but was amazed that, three times, they showed the President being carried in the arms of an aide in the presence of “outsiders” - when King George VI and his wife arrived; at the famous hot dog picnic; and at the end of the movie when FDR is leaving the house and getting in his car to drive away. Everything I’ve ever read suggests that White House staff were _very_ careful not to have him seen as an invalid in public. Incidentally, I recently visited the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton. One of the Presidential aircraft they have on display is the _Sacred Cow_, FDR’s refit C-54. It was specially designed with a tiny elevator, just big enough for the President to be lifted into and out of the aircraft in his wheelchair. [http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=566](http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=566) ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/63 "2013-04-09T21:54:55Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > As already mentioned, ‘wheelchair-user’ is the generally preferred term. > > I’m not disabled, but I’ve met a few people who got quite annoyed about the description ‘wheelchair bound’. Even someone very profoundly disabled doesn’t literally spend their life in a wheelchair, and people I’ve spoken to said that words like ‘bound’ or ‘confined’ sound very negative, restrictive and slightly patronising, rather than just describing an aid that someone has chosen to use. I’ll take it one further and point out that most style guides prescribe “people-first” language: a person who uses a wheelchair, a person who has diabetes, a person who has AIDS. The person is not defined by the disease or condition. Similarly, phrases such as “asthma sufferers” or “paralysis victims” are discouraged. Years ago, I was working part-time at a printing company and came across a piece that was about to be printed for a nursing home or some such. It referred to “people who are bound to their wheelchairs.” I successfully lobbied for it to be changed, as it was obviously an unfortunate mash-up of “wheelchair-bound” and “confined to a wheelchair.” (Yes, some people need to be physically strapped into their chairs, but this wasn’t about that.) ---
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/64 "2013-04-09T22:17:02Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Since the press did not care about JFK banging all kinds of women I guess overlooking smoking was pretty minor in comparison. > [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > I don’t think that was photographed, though. Not in the days before Polaroid, no. (Though off the top of my head I think Land was working in the '50s). ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/65 "2013-04-10T00:31:46Z")
> [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](#): > > Not in the days before Polaroid, no. > > (Though off the top of my head I think Land was working in the '50s). Invented in 1948, actually. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/66 "2013-04-10T01:02:47Z")
This quote popped up today, made me think about this thread. > [@Franklin D. Roosevelt](#): > > A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned to walk forward. > > - radio address, Oct. 26, 1939 ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/67 "2013-04-10T05:37:04Z")
For me actually, when reading this thread [this old news clipping](http://cowbird.com/story/60908/More_Exploding_Guts) was the first thing that came to mind. Amazing man. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/68 "2013-04-10T13:48:05Z")
From what I read, FDR’s blood pressure was off the charts-he was a walking heart attack. Were there any effective drugs for this in 1945? I have seen pictures of FDR at the Yalta Conference-he looked terrible. My question: why wasn’t VP Truman better prepped to take over? The only question was “when will FDR croak-not if”. The man was very ill in his last 2 years. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/69 "2013-04-10T17:45:15Z")
I know that paralysis can cause blood pressure problems that can kill people in some cases. That might be why FDR had high BP. It’s related to the fact that the nerves don’t send all the signals to regulate blood pressure. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/70 "2013-04-10T19:58:21Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > This may be a nitpick but FDR was not “confined” nor “bound” to a wheelchair; he used one. This type of language is outdated and generally frowned upon by the wheelchair-using community. (my bold) Yeah, he was handicapable! ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/71 "2013-04-11T00:30:53Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Yeah, he was handicapable! Ha! ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/72 "2013-04-11T00:44:30Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > From what I read, FDR’s blood pressure was off the charts-he was a walking heart attack. Were there any effective drugs for this in 1945? I have seen pictures of FDR at the Yalta Conference-he looked terrible. My question: why wasn’t VP Truman better prepped to take over? The only question was “when will FDR croak-not if”. The man was very ill in his last 2 years. ISTR that FDR’s doctors told him to quit smoking (he didn’t) and generally take better care of himself (he didn’t.) As far as Truman, he wasn’t prepared because FDR didn’t prepare him. Famously, Truman [wasn’t told anything about the Manhattan Project until after Roosevelt’s death and](http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/truman-is-briefed-on-manhattan-project)didn’t get a full briefing until 10 days later. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/73 "2013-04-11T00:53:32Z")
Who was tasked with pushing his wheelchair when he didn’t want to (push? use?–I don’t know the verb!) it himself? Or was it a point of pride for FDR to never let anyone publicly push him? I’m thinking also within the White House back and forth between wings. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/74 "2013-04-11T01:58:37Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Who was tasked with pushing his wheelchair when he didn’t want to (push? use?–I don’t know the verb!) it himself? Or was it a point of pride for FDR to never let anyone publicly push him? > > I’m thinking also within the White House back and forth between wings. He was pushed, lifted, and carried by personal servants. He probably avoided that in public. He was born into wealth, and I assume his personal servants came to the White House with him. (Now-a-days these people would be called assistants, physical therapists, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/75 "2013-04-12T23:02:54Z")
I remember seeing a TV show about a NYC hotel, that FDR utilized on his trips to the city. One of his private railroad cars was in a basement tunnel under the hotel-he would be moved of the rail car in a wheel chai to a private lelevator, and up to his suite. All of this so nobody could see him as crippled. The rairoad car had been sitting there since 1945-is it still there? ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/76 "2013-04-13T00:21:23Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I remember seeing a TV show about a NYC hotel, that FDR utilized on his trips to the city. One of his private railroad cars was in a basement tunnel under the hotel-he would be moved of the rail car in a wheel chai to a private lelevator, and up to his suite. > All of this so nobody could see him as crippled. The rairoad car had been sitting there since 1945-is it still there? You’re probably talking about the Waldorf-Astoria, and the train station platform under it. It’s still there, at least as of 2011. But railroad construction for Long island connections may remove the platform. It hasn’t been used for many years – most Waldorf-Astoria customers don’t arrive by railroad any more. But this platform & elevator wasn’t just for FDR – it had been used for 10-15 years before that for VIP guests. For privacy (& security) reasons, something that was hardly unique to FDR. ---
**Author:** ![eltro102](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@eltro102](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eltro102)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/77 "2013-04-13T01:20:18Z")
Well polio isn’t exactly the thing you talk about in public (being from india I’ve seen lots and lots of it, even before mr.b’s 2 drop campaign eradicated it). Even if the press knew, I doubt they would want to risk the roasting they would get by printing a big flashing arrow pointing to his disablitiy ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/78 "2013-04-13T01:52:24Z")
According to my mother, who was an adult at the time, most people thought he had beaten polio and had no problem walking. I’m kind of suspicious of this, since she was a lifelong Democrat, who would have been blind to any evidence to the contrary. In her later years, she was able to accept his handicap, among other things, but at the time she was blinded by devotion. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/79 "2013-07-10T14:20:34Z")
[Film of FDR in a wheelchair with attendant.](http://youtu.be/KwGs2p8lkEc) ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075/80 "2013-07-10T15:18:03Z")
A few facts might help. Polio used to be called “infantile paralysis” because all infants caught it and a few–very few–were paralyzed. After modern sanitation took hold that ended. I guess most infants still got it and a few were paralyzed, but more and more people grew up not having caught it. By the time I was born (1937) it was a real epidemic. Everyone know someone who had been partly or totally paralyzed. My wife lost a classmate. It was a common experience to see someone walking with crutches and braces on one or both legs. I suspect most people assumed that that was Roosevelt’s condition. Even at age 8 (when Roosevelt died) I was aware that he had been crippled by polio, but I don’t think even my parents knew how seriously. One of me earlier memories is the day he died. It was a shock that I have never forgot. Incidentally, I had the impression that polio kills the effector nerves, but not the sensory nerves, so he could still feel pain in his legs–and probably did. There were people who went around saying things like, “Crippled in legs, crippled in brain”, but they were mostly those who think he effected a revolution. There were even more who thought he prevented a revolution. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-knew-fdr-could-not-walk/655075.md?page=5)