Discussion of Abraham Lincoln’s medical maladies led by QMG surgeon set for Wednesday at JWCC

QUINCY — The Bicentennial Speaker Series, sponsored by the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County and John Wood Community College, will feature Dr. George Crickard speaking on “The Medical Maladies of Abraham Lincoln” at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9, in the Mary Ellen Orr Auditorium on the John Wood Community College campus, 1301 S. 48th.

Crickard will outline the disabilities, ailments and depression of the man whom many consider this country’s greatest president. Lincoln suffered from severe episodes of melancholy. These bouts of depression were a defining aspect of his overall mental health and were sometimes debilitating. Lincoln took blue mass pills containing mercury to manage his depression, which might have caused side effects and erratic behavior.

Physically, Lincoln contracted smallpox in 1863, and he also experienced malaria multiple times, with severe cases in 1830 and 1835. As a child, he was kicked in the head by a horse, rendering him unconscious for 24 hours. Some accounts suggest he may have had Marfan syndrome, a rare genetic condition that could explain his tall stature, thin build, and other symptoms like weight loss and fatigue later in his life. Despite these health issues, Lincoln displayed remarkable resilience throughout his life.

Audience members are invited to participate in Brew and Review at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 10, at the Historical Society’s Visitors Center, 425 S. 12th. Coffee and pastries will be served.

Crickard is an orthopedic surgeon at Quincy Medical Group and member of the HSQAC Board of Directors since 2019.

The program and discussion are free and open to the public.