In November 1863, shortly after delivering the , President Abraham Lincoln fell ill with a serious case of smallpox. The disease, , was one of the most feared illnesses of the 19th century. Smallpox epidemics routinely swept through cities, .
Lincoln first showed signs of illness on the evening of November 18, 1863, while traveling back to Washington D.C. from Gettysburg. . A few days later, the characteristic rash of smallpox blisters erupted on his skin. Lincoln was .
Although Lincoln's doctors tried to reassure the public that the president only had a mild case of "varioloid" smallpox, . Smallpox vaccination, while available at the time, was not widespread. Lincoln himself appears not to have been immunized earlier in life.
Lincoln ultimately recovered, but the disease proved fatal for his valet William H. Johnson. Johnson, an African-American man who was Lincoln's close personal attendant, cared for the president during his illness. . Lincoln paid off Johnson's debts and arranged for him to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Some historians speculate Lincoln's bout with smallpox could have altered the course of history had it ended differently. At the height of the Civil War in late 1863, Lincoln's steady leadership was crucial. His death from the disease would have thrown the country into chaos.
Smallpox continued to be a global scourge until the 20th century. . Lincoln's frightening encounter with smallpox demonstrates how this now-extinct virus terrorized people for centuries. It's a reminder of how far public health has advanced, and the devastating toll that infectious diseases once inflicted on humanity.
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