Abraham Lincoln and Marfan syndrome

Jamieva

Captain
Forum Host
Joined
Feb 7, 2006
Location
Midlothian, VA
So I was listening to a podcast I enjoy tonight called Second Decade (i highly recommend it). He did one on Lincoln and went in depth about Lincoln having Marfan syndrome, and how he would've eventually developed cancer. The guy's theory is that Lincoln already had cancer in 1865 (but didn't know it) and would've have lived another year anyways.

So needless to say this is the first I had heard of this and wondered what others had read/resourced about this.


Thanks
 
According to Lincoln and Medicine by Glenna R. Schroeder-Lein published in 2012 by Southern Illinois University Press in 2012, several historians and doctors concluded that he did not due to not matching symptoms. Summary:
  • He was "tall but did not have excessively long, spidery fingers or toes."
  • He was thin but muscular and strong which is not characteristic of weakness demonstrated by Marfan syndrome sufferers
  • His eye problems were more likely related to crossed or wandering eyes, and no evidence of lens dislocation of retinal detachment
  • He was far-sighted but Marfan syndrome sufferers are near-sighted
  • If his physical deterioration occurred due to the cardiovascular problems of the syndrome he would not have been able to chop wood as late as April 1865
 
There was a documentary on this very subject and it ended with no conclusive DNA evidence, and I would suggest strongly dispelled the idea.

There is a moral in this about not retro diagnosing historical figures.
 
You wouldn't believe what poor Thomas Jefferson had! Autism, epilepsy, depression, OCD, migraine...well, the list just goes on out the door. I'm amazed such an ill person managed to do all he did. At any rate, most everybody of his day and age had many health issues, but most of what Jefferson was thought to have was likely not so. I tend to put the many issues Lincoln has been saddled with in that category. For some reason, it's a past-time to handicap a highly successful person with so many disabilities it would be impossible for them to have surmounted all of it. To me, Lincoln had some illnesses like just about everyone of his time, but not the three foot deep file many would put on him. It would take a supernaturally strong person to overcome all these things and what Lincoln did in spite of what he really did have was pretty spectacular without additional handicaps!

However, all that said, I do tend to agree with those who think Stonewall Jackson might have been a high functioning autistic. Being an aspie would sure explain a lot about him! But, we can never know because the subject is not here to be examined.

Just an odd memory - a long while back I was in some disabilities therapist's office waiting and noticed an 'inspirational' poster on the wall, which listed about 20 people with various mental and physical disabilities who were famous - artists, actors, scientists, statesmen, etc. What bothered me was all but Steven Hawkings and Lincoln had committed suicide!
 
Poor Lincoln. Cancer and a bipolar wife? That was a joke. If one, more person hands Mary a bipolar diagnosis based on reports from a sulky ex-partner I'm not responsible for the therapy they'll require.Plus, there are a ton of people with Marfans out here. First I've heard cancer is an inevitable result. It's not a death sentence, goodness.

Anyone ever hear of Ehlers Danlos? Yes, not a good idea to conjecture about historical, agreed. There's no way of knowing but it sure would explain a few things about Lincoln. Not just height, too long to get into- several types. Connective tissue disorder. His face has always, always seemed kinda interesting. In our family we call it the saggy-baggy face. :angel:
 
That's very astute, JPK! Lincoln's looks were unusual to everybody outside his corner of Kentucky. Where he was born, there were enough people who looked just like him that no one noticed he was homely until he left the area. Genes pooling in one spot for a while, maybe! Before they put roads in here, people could tell what family you belonged to and who your daddy was...whatever the birth certificate might say! Lincoln did entertain a thought or two about whether Thomas really was his father. Wonder if anybody diagnosing Lincoln from afar has looked into the people around him, either kinfolk or not. Some pockets of the US still have distinctive genetic mutations - might be all it ever was with Lincoln's illnesses!
 
Back
Top