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In November 1912, he was elected president. In March 1913, he took office. Few knew his health history.
In 1896, he suffered a stroke. It caused marked right upper limb weakness. Sensory disturbances affected his fingers. For almost a year, he couldn't write.
In 1904, he developed right upper limb weakness. It lasted months. In 1906, he lost vision on his left eye. He had multiple neurological problems. He experienced double vision.
He had severe episodic headaches. They lasted days. Hypertension and atherosclerosis affected him.
In summer 1918, he was frail. He suffered breathing problems. Much worse lay ahead.
On October 2, 1919, he collapsed. He experienced a debilitating stroke. For the rest of his presidency, he remained in seclusion. He was sidelined unable to govern.
Historian John Milton Cooper called his condition "the worst instance of presidential disability we've ever had."
"We stumbled along".without a fully functioning president" for 18 months. Information about his health was suppressed. An official White House statement said he suffered from "nervous exhaustion."
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