Here’s what happened 👇
In December 1799, George Washington caught what seemed like a bad cold or throat infection after riding in freezing rain. He developed a severe sore throat and difficulty breathing.
Back then, medicine was based on the belief that illness was caused by an imbalance of “humors” in the body. So doctors often used bloodletting — literally draining blood — to “restore balance.”
Washington’s doctors removed an estimated 2.3 to 3.75 liters of his blood (about 35–40% of his total blood volume) within less than a day.
He grew weaker with each round, and despite the treatments (which also included vinegar gargles and blistering), he died later that night on December 14, 1799, likely from shock caused by excessive blood loss and infection.
So yes, the Father of the United States was effectively killed by the medical practices of his time.
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