Forensics Ii: The Science Behind the Deaths of Famous and Infamous People

George Washington, the former first president of the United States, lay in his bed suffering from a high fever, a raw throat, and labored breathing. His three physicians milled around his bed, treating Washington with blisters of cantharides, tartar emetic, and bloodletting, removing nearly 40 percent of his total blood volume and causing excruciating pain. When Washington finally was relieved of his misery and died, the three doctors could not agree what caused his death. Forensics II: The...