John Kennedy: Health Cover-Up

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	The Health and Medical History of President
	John Kennedy: Health Cover-Up

Addison disease

Kennedy's Addisonism was diagnosed in 1947 by a physician in London. Kennedy had probably been suffering (literally) from the disease for years, if not decades. After the diagnosis, he was given less than a year to live. He was so ill during the sea voyage home from England, in October 1947, that he was given the last rites [3f]. Yet, during the 1960 presidential race, the JFK campaign flatly denied that JFK had Addison disease. The Kennedy campaign used a very narrow definition of Addision disease, namely, insufficiency of the adrenal glands caused by tuberculosis. This was deliberate, calculated, and grossly misleading. Bumgarner calls it "undoubtedly one of the most cleverly laid smoke screens ever put down around a politician" [3g]. Adrenal insufficiency, no matter how caused, is a serious matter. [More]

Dallek reports that "Doctors who treated Jack's Addison's or read closely about his condition have concluded that he had a secondary form of the disease, or a 'slow atrophy of of the adrenal glands,' rather than a rapid primary destruction" [7o1]. Dallek is hinting that Kennedy's Addisonism was due to chronic use of steroids, but he does not take a stand.

While a U.S. Senator, Kennedy underwent major surgery on his back even though the effects of Addison disease on the tolerance of surgery was largely unknown at the time. [15]. In fact, JFK's case was published in the medical literature in 1955, although this was not publicly realized until 1967 [4b]. Post-operatively, he developed a urinary tract infection and had a transfusion reaction, characterized by "mild angioneurotic edema." He also had a repeat operation four months later [15].

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Here is an incomplete tabulation of health-related statements made by Kennedy or his campaign:

[Two days after election of 1960] A reporter asked about JFK's health and the rumors surrounding it. Kennedy answered that he was in "excellent" health and dismissed as untrue the rumors of Addison disease. [7p1]
[Campaign of 1960] Based largely on information supplied by Robert Kennedy, a professional organ of the American Medical Association published an article that described JFK as being in "superb physical condition." Some adrenal insufficiency was mentioned, along with the assurance that it was neutralized by daily oral medication. The article, which was also summarized by the New York Times, further assured that Kennedy would have no difficulties withstanding the demands of his new office. [7p1]
[Two hours before being sworn in, January 20, 1961] When newsmen asked about Kennedy's health, two physicians announced he was in continuing "excellent" health. [7q1]

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Beschloss, Michael. [Interview]. PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. KQED-TV, San Francisco, 21 January 2005. The interview was about an exhibition at the National Archives of photographs of Presidents in casual situations..
Web site for the interview, including a picture: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/media/jan-june05/exhibit_01-21.html
Boller, Paul F. Jr. Presidential Anecdotes. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981. ISBN 0-19-502915-1 @ Amazon [a] p. 300
Bumgarner, John R. The Health of the Presidents: The 41 United States Presidents Through 1993 from a Physician's Point of View. Jefferson, NC: MacFarland & Company, 1994. ISBN 0-89950-956-8 @ Amazon [a] pp. 234-249 [b] p. 234, 235 [c] pp. 234, 235 [d] p. 234 [e] p. 235 [f] pp. 240-241 [g] p. 243
Devotes one chapter to each President, through Clinton. Written for the layperson, well-referenced, with areas of speculation clearly identified, Dr. Zebra depends heavily on this book. Dr. Bumgarner survived the Bataan Death March and has written an unforgettable book casting a physician's eye on that experience.
Cooper, Pauline. The Medical Detectives. New York: David McKay, 1973. ISBN 0-679-50382-X @ Amazon [a] p. 198 [b] p. 209
Crenshaw, Charles A.; Hansen, Jens; Shaw, J. Gray. JFK: Conspiracy of Silence. New York: Signet, 1992. ISBN 0-451-40346-0 @ Amazon
This book has been roundly criticized by other physicians involved in the Kennedy case.
Dallek, Robert. The medical ordeals of JFK. Atlantic Monthly. 2002 (Dec);290(5):49-61. [a] p. 61
Dallek, Robert. An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy 1917-1963. Boston: Little, Brown, 2003. ISBN 0-316-17238-3 @ Amazon [a] p. 42 [b] p. 49 [c] p. 54 [d] pp. 54-59 [e] pp. 48, 67 [f] p. 68 [g] p. 83 [h] p. 90 [i] p. 95 [j] p. 33 [k] p. 34 [l] p. 86 [m] p. 35 [n] p. 73 [o] p. 77 [p] pp. 42, 78 [q] p. 79 [r] p. 80 [s] p. 81 [t] p. 101 [u] pp. 101-102 [v] p. 103 [w] p. 104 [x] p. 105 [y] p. 195 [z] p. 196 [a1] p. [b1] p. 212 [c1] p. 27 [d1] p. 28 [e1] p. 71 - this practice was recommended by a prominent pediatrician of the day [f1] p. 102 [g1] p. 123 [h1] pp. 195, 212 [i1] p. 46 - worried about fathering a child [j1] p. 150 [k1] p. 99-100 [l1] p. 299 [m1] pp. 299-300 [n1] p. 320 [o1] pp. 105 [p1] p. 300 [q1] p. 322
Freedman, Nancy M. Joshua: Son of None. New York: Delacorte Press, 1973.
We don't normally cite fiction, but this is an intriguing novel about cloning and the assassination of JFK. The book starts in the emergency room at Parkland Memorial Hospital. The President has just been pronounced dead. Unable to accept this, a young physician on the scene removes some of Kennedy's lung tissue and puts it in liquid nitrogen. Many years later, after cloning technology has evolved, he approaches a wealthy industrialist named Kellogg with the idea of growing a new JFK. He recognizes, however, that to replicate the kind of man Kennedy was, the clone's upbringing and formative experiences will have to match JFK's. Thus, Joshua Francis Kellogg's life is carefully scripted with analogs to the death of Kennedy's older brother, the PT-109 incident, and so on. Among Kennedy's medical history, only his bad back is mentioned. Amazon
Lattimer JK, et al. An experimental study of the backward movement of President Kennedy's head. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1976 Feb;142(2):246-54. Pubmed.
Lattimer, John K. Kennedy and Lincoln: Medical & Ballistic Comparisons of Their Assassinations. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1980. ISBN 0-15-152281-2 @ Amazon
MacMahon, Edward B. and Curry, Leonard. Medical Cover-Ups in the White House. Washington, DC: Farragut, 1987. ISBN 0-918535-01-8 @ Amazon
Mandel LR. Endocrine and autoimmune aspects of the health history of John F. Kennedy. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2009; 151:_________________. [a] citing Dallek and Kelleman
Marion, Robert. Was George Washington Really the Father of our Country?. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1994. ISBN 0-201-62255-6 @ Amazon [a] p. 175 [b] p. 192 [c] p. 174 [d] pp. 177-178
McKusick, Victor A. Mendelian Inheritance in Man. 9th ed. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1990.
Later print editions have appeared, e.g. the 12th in 1998: Amazon (ISBN is 0801857422). The entire contents are freely available on the web as "Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM)." The online version is more current than the printed version.
Nicholas JA, Burstein CL, Umberger CJ, Wilson PD. Management of adrenocortical insufficiency during surgery. Archives of Surgery. 1955;71:737-742.
JFK is case 3
O'Leary C, Walsh CH, Wieneke P, O'Regan P, Buckley B, O'Halloran DJ, Ferriss JB, Quigley EM, Annis P, Shanahan F, Cronin CC. Coeliac disease and autoimmune Addison's disease: a clinical pitfall. QJM. 2002 Feb;95(2):79-82. Pubmed.
Post, Jerrold M. and Robins, Robert S. When Illness Strikes the Leader: The Dilemma of the Captive King. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1993. ISBN 0-300-06314-8 @ Amazon
At one time Post worked for the CIA, profiling foreign leaders.
Summers, Anthony; Dorril, Stephen. Honeytrap: The Secret Worlds of Stephen Ward. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson (91 Clapham High St. SW4 7TA), 1987. ISBN 0-297-79122-2 @ Amazon
Much sensationalism and drivel has been written about JFK. Thus, it is very hard for anyone devoting less than full time to Kennedy studies to discern what is credible and what is not. This book strikes me as containing a mixture of credible, verifiable statements and statements best treated with skepticism.
Travell, Janet. Office Hours: Day and Night. Cleveland, OH: New American Library, 1968. [a] p. 3 [b] p. 7 [c] p. 315 [d] p. 320 [e] p. 5
Travell was one of Kennedy's physicians during his Presidency. Although all autobiographies are inherently narcissistic, the level in this one is tough to stomach -- almost as bad as Jerry Linenger's, in fact.
The John Kennedy web page at the White House.
(71 matches when checked in November 2003)

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