Fans of deathbed dramas can hardly ask for a more harrowing tale than the story of an overconfident doctor who tried to resurrect George Washington. As the former president lay dying in December of 1799, Dr. William Thornton raced to Washington’s Mount Vernon home in hopes of reaching him before he passed away, according to “Washington’s End,” a 2020 book by historian and White House speechwriter Jonathan Horn. Washington had been both a friend and benefactor to Thornton. A classic product of the Enlightenment, Thornton was a brilliant polymath considered a genius in his time. He was born in the British West Indies and attended medical school in Scotland before gaining American citizenship. Washington selected Thornton’s design for the U.S. Capitol. How a Doctor Planned to Resurrect George Washington MANIC MEDIC
WHAT OUR C
“They are amazing people to work with, and they always have answers for you if you feel unsure or confused about anything.” –Mason C., Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Upon arriving at Mount Vernon, Thornton was shocked to see the president’s corpse, frozen solid from the frigid winter temperatures and surrounded by grieving family and friends. The situation did not stop the doctor from hatching a bold plan to revive him. Thornton had studied numerous cases of people who were revived after appearing to be dead. He was an early advocate of the medical technique of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to revive victims of near-drownings. Before Washington died, he had suffered a series of tortuous medical treatments for a bad throat infection, including numerous bloodlettings, throat poultices, enemas, and purgatives. Thornton recalled cases he had read about fish being revived after freezing and proposed to thaw Washington’s corpse in cold water, restore air to his body by performing a tracheotomy, and replace the blood drained by the doctors with lamb’s blood. If a lack of air and loss of blood had killed the president, then restoring them and warming the body should revive him, Thornton reasoned.
Oahu Home Sales Maintain Stable Tr
Single-family home sales rose 6.7% in the first half of 2024, while condo sales fell by 5.8% June saw a modest increase in single-family home sales, up by 4% year-over-year, totaling 258 transactions. However, June condo sales experienced the largest year-over-year decline this year, dropping 24.5% from last year, with 355 units sold. In the first half of the year, single- family home sales grew 6.7% compared to the same period in 2023, while condo sales declined by 5.8%. Median sales prices for single-family homes and condos increased modestly year-over-year, with single-family homes reaching $1,120,000 and condos ending June at $530,000, up by 6.7% and 3.9%, respectively. Year-to-date, median sales prices saw moderate changes from a year ago. The single-family home year-to-date median price rose by 3.3% to $1,085,000, while condos experienced a 2.0% uptick to $510,000 compared to the previous year.
None of Washington’s grieving family and friends supported Thornton’s idea. They recalled the former president’s deathbed
instructions to the doctors attending him at the time, “I pray you to take no more trouble about me; let me go off quietly.” Ultimately, the president’s instructions were honored. Despite Thornton’s
While Oahu's residential real estate market has remained relatively stable through the first half of the year, we saw a significant drop in condo sales last month, which the threat of rising insurance costs may have influenced. As our community seeks opportunities to increase inventory, affordability, and housing opportunities for all, buyers and sellers can benefit from working with a trusted REALTOR® who can guide them through the complexities of the real estate market.
effort to have his body transported to the Capitol for burial, they granted Washington’s final wish: He was permanently interred at his Mount Vernon home.
Single-family homes moved swiftly, with a median of 15 days on the market, compared to 17 days in June 2023. In
2
THEMITCHELLGROUPHAWAII.COM
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator