The President Is a Sick Man: Wherein the Supposedly Virtuous Grover Cleveland Survives a Secret Surgery at Sea and Vilifies the Courageous Newspaperman Who Dared Expose the Truth

A great literary market is opening up for books about U.S. presidents from the last quarter of the 19th century. Following the superb Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President, a book about the medical missteps that prematurely ended James Garfield's life, comes this virtual sequel about how rapid advances in medicine helped save the live of Grover Cleveland just 12 years later."The President is a Sick Man" is written in a very accessible style that provides a rapid user-friendly overview of the politics of that era. Cleveland, first elected President in 1884, was the first Democratic candidate to assume the office since James Buchanan; he then narrowly lost re-election to Benjamin Harrison, a liberal Republican, in 1888, but on the heels of an economic crisis, won a rematch in 1892, and became the first (and so far, only) President to win non-consecutive terms (in those days, the Democratic party was much more akin politically to today's Republican party). And then he developed oral cancer, which could have ended that second term very quickly. Cancer was not something that one defeated in 1893.From there, the book quickly backtracks to show us how Cleveland, a hard-living bachelor, made his unlikely rise to President from Buffalo, New York, having possibly fathered a child out of wedlock in his younger days (and, the author lets linger for most of the book, may have contracted syphilis). The wife he took while President was young enough to be his daughter. But, beyond that, we also get a medical overview that brings us up to date since Garfield was killed; Joseph Lister's theories on antiseptics have taken prominence, and Dr. William Keen, who assumed Cleveland's care, is an American icon who, the author tells us, "spanned the chasm between medieval and modern medicine."Cleveland's cancer surgery was radical for its time and would be unthinkable today -- he was smuggled in secrecy to a friend's yacht, and the operation was performed (in nearly sterile conditions!) on a boat moored in the Long Island Sound in mid-summer. Cleveland then recovered far from Washington D.C. for most of the summer, even while Congress was attempting to pass landmark legislation regarding the Panic of 1893. The economy had collapsed in large measure due to the bursting of the railroad bubble and, some said, the 1890 enactment of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act. This sets up the book's suspense: would Congress act to repeat the Silver Act, at Cleveland's insistence but in spite of his summer-long radio silence. Here's a hint: after Cleveland, the Democratic Party would not win the White House again for another 20 years.Apart from the political and economic history lessons, "The President is a Sick Man" also gives us historical background on Dr. Keen, and on the newspaper business, which at that time did not exactly favor impartial investigative journalism. Elisha Jay Edwards is the journalist who uncovered the secret surgery. The White House put up a mighty front, discrediting Edwards, and the story of the secret surgery remained secret for another 20 years. In spite of that, when Cleveland left office in 1897, he was, the author tells us, "probably the most despised man in America." Cleveland lived until 1908 (with his youngest child living, astonishingly, until 1995!). Dr. Keen lived long enough to not only bookend his Civil War service with World War I experience, but with a much less successful time attending to Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1921, when the latter was stricken with paralysis...This is a lot of material to cover in less than 300 pages, but Algeo does it admirably. The book is easy to read, but very informative, and a good entry into study of late 19th-century politics. It also brings into the spotlight one of our less-remembered Presidents, and reminds us that financial crises did exist prior to January 2009.

Great read about perhaps one of the biggest “close calls” in presidential medical history, an issue that continues to be germane today. In addition to a great summary of the surgery, the participants, and the medical circumstances, the book also gives a good look at the politics and issues of the day, namely the gold vs silver issue. It’s amazing that an issue of such national import 125 years ago is so forgotten today!Few strange quibbles, author refers to Cleveland as “Grover” often for while referring to everyone else by their last names, and there are some assumptions on the effect of the surgery on Cleveland‘s personality that I’d have like to have seen more backup on.Overall though a great read, it takes a complex medical topic and makes it easy to understand and interesting to follow!

This book is well-written and held my interest to the end. The story is well told about one of our lesser known presidents. I don't know why the subtitle: Wherein the Supposedly Virtuous . . . I think any reader would have to agree that Grover Cleveland WAS a virtuous man. He took care of his obligations in Buffalo and came clean about his follies, making restitution and seeing for the care of an orphan whose mother had named him as the father. His forthrightness disarmed his critics, and he succeeded in politics even to the point of winning the presidency for two non-consecutive terms -- the only person to do so. The beautiful Frances became his wife in spite of the disparate difference in their ages and his ponderous overweight body. She knew him well. He had been her father's best friend and became her guardian upon her parent's death. I think that fact shows that he must have had a loving and attractive character. The day in which he lived, and the economic state of the country demanded that his brush with cancer, then a hopeless state and an unmentionable word, had to be handled with utmost secrecy. The dentist who broke his vow of secrecy and the writer who broke the story with the headline, The President Is a Sick Man were the ones who were not virtuous. The writer reminds me of the media of today -- anything for a scoop. As the story progresses, several virtuous men, including the surgeon who operated, had to lie in order to save the country from economic ruin. The cover-up held; the president was saved; and the country recovered. However later, when it no longer mattered, the truth came out. This is a very excellently told story of a little known fact from our nation's history. Because of that, I give it five stars.

This one is interesting for its glimpse at the late 19th century--its views on cancer, the money crisis (silver vs the gold standard), small glimpses at the depression that occurred during that time (where Americans were reduced to eating grass in some parts of the country), and the storm that hit the Gullahs in South Carolina (where The Red Cross with Clara Barton hunkered down for ten months).The actual surgery and the exposure of the truth by the courageous newspaperman? It's a bit weak. I was left thinking, that was it?Overall, a nice one to get from the library or to purchase cheaply, especially if you want a quick overview of the times, which were more intriguing than I thought that they would have been. If you're looking for an adventure tale or a story of a great coverup laid bare, you should look elsewhere.

I am still reading but I think that book covers a time in American History that was hardly touched on in school and I find it refreshing to read about a democrat president who was truly a moral man who favored limited government.

This is a wonderful little book and very well written; less of a history book and more of a great story. The book is very interesting and what I like most about it are the additional tidbits and sections throughout the book describing everyday life in the last decade of the nineteenth century.I would actually give this book only 4 1/2 stars though, if it were possible. The part of the title "wherein the supposedly virtuous Grover Cleveland survives a secret surgery at sea and vilifies the courageous newspaperman who dared expose the truth" is a bit misleading. The whole controversy itself is somewhat exaggerated. Given that Cleveland already was President when he discovered he had cancer, it makes sense that he would not want to alarm the country and bring the country to further chaos. It is hard to blame him for trying to keep quiet. As for the newspaperman, he was vilified, but not by Cleveland really, but by the rival newspaper. He wasn't really dismissed as a "disgrace to journalism" as it says on the back of the book, but only by his "enemies" at the other newspaper. He actually went on to have a very successful career. And all this nonsense was really a way to gain readership during these newspaper wars, when papers would go to incredible lengths to outdo each other. The public sympathized with Cleveland, and it seems they didn't care even if the rumors were true.As for the claim that the surgery affected Cleveland's judgement and, thereby, the rest of his presidency; it is somewhat spurious and cannot be proven. Most likely it was included so the reader feels there is some shock to this supposed conspiracy.Despite all this, it is a great book and definitely worth reading. The book really gives you the feel for the nineteenth century and it's an interesting story, even if it is not as "shocking" as the author would like us to believe. It is just a fun read and I would highly recommend.