Nice editing job, Fox. (Unhealthiest presidents list)

They might change this in the meantime, but as I am posting this. . .

a) they have an image of Woodrow Wilson on William Henry Harrison’s entry, and
b) they pretty much imply the old story that WHH caught a cold by standing in the cold rain during his inauguration (best sources indicate his cold started three weeks later). Also, it didn’t get better because of the lack of heat in the White House?

Did I miss an entry? Theodore Roosevelt was one of the unhealthiest presidents, but Taft wasn’t?

I don’t get Theodore Roosevelt either. His life was cut short by some bad breaks, but he was a soldier and athlete in his prime.

Teddy was a very sickly child* and didn’t improve until he reached adulthood.

*or, perhaps, he pretended to be – there’s some evidence it was a way to get attention.

Taft lived to 72. I know he was fat, but do you have a cite that he was unhealthy?

Reagan lived to 93, and is on the list.

From Wikipedia:

Not to mention that James Monroe made the list, and he lived to be 73.

Here is an EXCELLENT review of the health of former and current US presidents.

It’s positively fascinating…

That presents one of the most astonishing historical ideas I’ve ever seen: that George Washington might have had Klinefelter’s syndrome, an intersex condition. Can you imagine?

Even better!

Zombie Washington!

I like Barack Obama’s entry on early life exposure to infectious diseases:

“Exposed to multiple animals while living in Indonesia, including a New Guinean ape, chickens, ducks, birds, dogs, and crocodiles [3b]. He also was exposed to human diseases: scurvy, polio, leprosy, and a man with gaping hole where nose should be (syphilis?) [3c]. Had an “endless series of shots” before going to Indonesia for the first time.”

Oh no! He was exposed to scurvy? Could he still have it? :smiley:

Is that a cause or effect of his herb smoking?

Also, under FDR they have the following:

In March 1945, while working at his desk, the former president complained of a horrible pain and died at 3:35 p.m. of a stroke. He was 63 years old.

Former president. (Well I guess he was a former preident as well as being the one then in office)

Also looking at Reagan, he hardly seems to have been in poor health during his Presidency. He had a few skin cancers removed, a hearing aid and a minor op. Oh, and someone shot him.