Random U.S. President and Medical Problem They've Ever Had (44 items)

• 

  (#42) George W. Bush

  • 72

  The Short List: Tonsillitis, appendicitis, skin lesions, back problems, fillings, hemorrhoids, substance abuse, colon polyps, various injuries, coronary artery disease

  George (Walker) Bush had his tonsils out at age five, his appendix at age 10, and a fatty cyst removed from his chest in 1960. He has had two back surgeries and numerous fillings in his teeth, and he suffered from hemorrhoids while serving in the National Guard. His alcohol and cocaine abuse both stopped before he took office as president. He had polyps removed from his colon in 1998 and 1999. While president, Bush had non-cancerous and pre-cancerous lesions removed from his face multiple times. Bush passed out and injured his head in 2002, perhaps from choking on a pretzel, tore his meniscus in 2004, and had scrapes and bruises from when he fell off his bike in 2004 and 2005. Bush had an artery stent put in after a 2013 examination revealed an arterial blockage.
• 

  (#18) Ulysses S. Grant

  • Dec. at 63 (1822-1885)

  The Short List: Substance abuse and cancer

  Ulysses S. Grant smoked cigars throughout his life – as many as 12 or even 20 a day –which contributed to the throat cancer that later killed him. He also struggled with alcohol abuse. In 1854, he was asked to leave the military due to his excessive drinking. He also became addicted to cocaine, as it was used to dull the pain in his throat. 
• 

  (#41) Bill Clinton

  • 72

  The Short List: Tonsillitis, rectal bleeding, knee injury, ankle injury, skin lesions, cancer, coronary artery disease

  Bill Clinton had his tonsils out at the age of six. In 1994, he experienced rectal bleeding as well as a torn knee ligament. By the early 1990s, he had high cholesterol and was considered overweight at various points from 1992-2001. While he was president, Clinton suffered from allergies, which affected his voice, had a cyst and pre-cancerous lesion removed from his face in 1995 and 1996, respectively, and injured his ankle in 1997. He later had carcinoma removed from his back in 2001. Clinton underwent a quadruple coronary bypass due to coronary artery disease in 2004 after experiencing shortness of breath and chest pains. He had a follow-up operation in 2005, removing part of his lung that had become irritated during the bypass. In 2010, Clinton had two stents put in his arteries after experiencing chest pains. After that, he adopted a vegan diet, to which he attributed his improved health.
• 

  (#24) William McKinley

  • Dec. at 58 (1843-1901)

  The Short List: Influenza, bullet wounds, gangrene

  William McKinley was known for having an excellent memory throughout his life. While he was president, he came down with a severe case of influenza – called ‘grippe.' On September 6, 1901, he was shot twice. One of the bullets deflected off of his chest, while the other went through his stomach. Despite showing initial signs of improvement after surgery, McKinley developed gangrene and died on September 14. 
• 

  (#30) Herbert Hoover

  • Dec. at 90 (1874-1964)

  The Short List: Croup, measles, mumps, diphtheria, earaches, chicken pox, gall bladder issues, shingles, cancer, pneumonia

  As a baby, Herbert Hoover almost died of croup, and, during his childhood, he had measles, mumps, diphtheria, earaches, and chicken pox. During his time as president, he shook so many hands that his hands became swollen, but he was generally healthy. Later in life, he had a gall bladder attack, shingles, abdominal discomfort, and he was diagnosed with intestinal cancer at the age of 88. He had the tumor removed but remained frail. He had lost his hearing and most of his sight by 1963. In 1964, he died of gastrointestinal bleeding, complicated by pneumonia, at the age of 90.  
• 

  (#40) George H. W. Bush

  • 94

  The Short List: Staph infection, heartburn, bleeding ulcers, head wound, arthritis, various injuries, Grave’s Disease, atrial fibrillation, hyperthyroidism, pre-cancerous cells, Vascular Parkinson’s Disease, pneumonia

  George (Herbert Walker) Bush almost died of a staph infection as a teenager and suffered from heartburn and bleeding ulcers from his 30s onward. While serving as a pilot in World War Two, he received a head wound after ejecting from a plane. While he was president, Bush had glaucoma, arthritis, a cyst on his hand, and a sty in his eye. In 1991, he was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and hyperthyroidism, which was followed by a diagnosis of Grave’s disease. He had a small goiter on his thyroid, and his condition was treated with medication. He famously threw up on the Prime Minister of Japan in 1992, which may or may not have been related to his other health conditions. He stopped taking sleeping medication during the same year and had non-cancerous cells removed from his face, although pre-cancerous lesions were removed in 2002. Bush has used a wheelchair since 2012 as a result of a form of Parkinson’s Disease. In 2015, Bush severely injured his neck and had numerous hospitalizations for breathing problems and pneumonia in 2017.

New Random Displays    Display All By Ranking