President Polk Dies During Cholera Epidemic

Oo! Modern medicine

We'e stamped out certain diseases in the United States. Americans now have to travel great distances before they have have to worry about malaria and cholera, among other diseases. We are so used to the idea that these diseases belong to the far away, it's hard to remember that they also belong to the long ago.

The Edgefield Advertiser of Edgefield, South Carolina reported on June 27, 1849 on the death of James K. Polk. Polk had died on the 15th of June, but news travelled slowly in those days. He lived only a few months after leaving the White House, possibly a victim of cholera. This has an aspect of "a U.S. President died of what?" to it.

Yes, cholera.

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