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Struck with Polio
FDR first suffers from infantile paralysis while vacationing with his family at their cottage on Campobello Island. He displayed symptoms for more than two weeks until he was correctly diagnosed by Dr. Robert W. Lovett. -
New York Times
The New York Times published an article after their initial report about Roosevelt's condition, saying he had merely caught a cold and was threathened with pneumonia but was now recovering slowly. On September 10th, they moved the story to the back pages and reported good news that he was showing gradual imporvement. -
Leaves Campobello
F.D. Roosevelt Is BetterLouis Howe, a news journalist who had worked with FDR for many years, orchestrated all contact with the press. He made sure Rooevelt was carried out on the makeshift stretcher and onto the private railroad car before the press arrived to photograph him. Howe put a cigarette in his holder and the image of FDR smiling and smoking was a salutary effect. On September, The New York Times published an announcement of FDR's arrival into the city and his health progress. -
FDR ILL OF POLIOMYELITIS
F.D. Roosevelt Ill of Poliomyelitis
Front page, above the fold, in large bold type, the headline screamed to the American people of the real disease FDR was sick with.
Dr. George Draper, protege to Dr. Lovett, finally informed the press od Roosevelt's health maladies. His public announcement was strongly influenced by Howe. -
Roosevelt Discharged From the Hospital
He was finally discharged from New York Presbyterian Hospital. His chart, however, read "not improving." In the autumn of 1921, Franklin embarked on what would be a five-year odyssey to learn to give the appearance of walking. If Franklin could not convince the average voter of his fitness and vitality, then he was through as a politician. -
Hydrotherapy
Franklin reported to both his doctors about the amazing effects of hydrotherapy. "During the past six weeks I have been swimming three times a week. The legs work wonderfully in the water and I need nothing to keep myself afloat." "In every other way I am entirely normal." He would continue hydrotherapy in lengthy trips to south Florida and his development of a dilapitated resort in Warm Springs, Georgia. -
Letter to fellow polio sufferer, Paul Hasbrouck
"I have found for myself one interesting fact which I believe to be a real discovery, and that is that my muscles have improved with greater rapidity when I give them sunlight." "There is one thing about this infantile paralysis which you may be sure of-- you will get progressively better year by year until you die."
