The True George Washington [10th Ed.] — John Shaqi
The True George Washington [10th Ed.]Ford, Paul Leicester
History
The True George Washington [10th Ed.]
Ford, Paul Leicester
Generals -- United States -- Biography; Presidents -- United States -- Biography; Washington, George, 1732-1799
There can be scarcely a doubt that the treatment of his last illness by
the doctors was little short of murder. Although he had been bled once
already, after they took charge of the case they prescribed “two pretty
copious bleedings,” and finally a third, “when about 32 ounces of blood
were drawn,” or the equivalent of a quart. Of the three doctors, one
disapproved of this treatment, and a second wrote, only a few days
after Washington’s death, to the third, “you must remember” Dr. Dick
“was averse to bleeding the General, and I have often thought that if
we had acted according to his suggestion when he said, ‘he needs all
his strength— bleeding will diminish it,’ and taken no more blood from
him, our good friend might have been alive now. But we were governed by
the best light we had; we thought we were right, and so we are
justified.”
Shortly after this last bleeding Washington seemed to have resigned
himself, for he gave some directions concerning his will, and said, “I
find I am going,” and, “smiling,” added, that, “as it was the debt
which we must all pay, he looked to the event with perfect
resignation.” From this time on “he appeared to be in great pain and
distress,” and said, “Doctor, I die hard, but I am not afraid to go. I
believed from my first attack that I should not survive it.” A little
later he said, “I feel myself going. I thank you for your attention,
you had better not take any more trouble about me; but let me go off
quietly.” The last words he said were, “’Tis well.” “About ten minutes
before he expired, his breathing became much easier—he lay quietly—…
and felt his own pulse…. The general’s hand fell from his wrist,… and
he expired without a struggle or a Sigh.”
III
EDUCATION
The father of Washington received his education at Appleby School in
England, and, true to his alma mater, he sent his two elder sons to the
same school. His death when George was eleven prevented this son from
having the same advantage, and such education as he had was obtained in
Virginia. His old friend, and later enemy, Rev. Jonathan Boucher, said
that “George, like most people thereabouts at that time, had no
education than reading, writing and accounts which he was taught by a
convict servant whom his father bought for a schoolmaster;” but Boucher
managed to include so many inaccuracies in his account of Washington,
that even if this statement were not certainly untruthful in several
respects, it could be dismissed as valueless.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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