The Mysterious Sickness at the National Hotel
Before its demise, the National Hotel in Washington DC rivaled it's famous peer, the Willard, in status and the stature of its visitors. The president-elect, James Buchanan, was a resident while he awaited his inauguration in March of 1857. He fell ill, along with 400 others who frequented the hotel during the early months of that year. The disease featured a swollen tongue, diarrhea and vomiting, and took at least 30 lives. Theories about the mysterious disease included poison. No one determined exactly what caused the outbreak, but modern scholars suspect dysentery or cholera.
The National Hotel was a favorite of performers like John Wilkes Booth, who stayed in room 228 the night before he killed President Lincoln. Today the Newseum stands on the site.
Comments
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
(16)
July (16)
(31)
August (31)
(30)
September (30)
(31)
October (31)
(30)
November (30)
(31)
December (31)
|
(31)
January (31)
(29)
February (29)
(31)
March (31)
(10)
April (10)
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
|