Lincoln and Marfan?s Syndrome (página 2)

Important complications of this condition, in terms of
their abilities to cause serious impairment are divided into
three categories:

• Cardiac. The debilitation of the connective tissue at
  the level of the aortic base causes a tendency toward the
  dilatation and rupture of this blood vessel.
• Ophthalmological. These are found with unusual
  frequency. These are essentially dislocations or
  sub-dislocations of the ocular crystalline.
• Muscular and skeletal. With frequency a hyper-laxity
  is reported on these patients accompanied by a reduced muscular
  mass. Equally, the joints are often weak, producing severe
  scoliosis in some cases.

Diagnosis

To establish a diagnosis one has to rely on the
confirmation of the symptoms components of the clinical
picture.

At present we have no specific method or diagnostic
test that can be
used to confirm the presence of this condition.

Treatment

Is limited to affording symptomatic relief to the
patients as necessary, and to the use of support groups, where
those exist.

Prognosis

With early detection and adequate follow up to prevent
any complications, the patient can expect to lead a normal
life.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN
AND MARFAN’S (1809-1865)

Without doubt Lincoln was one of the tallest, and
thinnest of all occupants of the White House. He is known for his
frequent fits of melancholy that accompanied him all of his life.
For many years many investigators suspect that he was a victim of
Marfan’s Syndrome. His physical characteristics leave us
with little room for doubt.

His life was unusual in many ways. Giving us an
exceptional example of how a valiant man can persevere against
the odds of adversity:

• In 1831, Lincoln suffered a disastrous business
  setback.
• In 1832, lost his bid for election to the House of
  Representatives.
• In 1833, Lincoln suffered another serious business
  setback.
• In 1836, suffered from "severe emotional
  problems".
• In 1838, lost another election.
• In 1840, defeated once again on his bid for
  Congress.
• In 1843, 1848 and in 1855 defeated in his attempts to
  be elected to the US Senate.
• In 1856 defeated on his try to be postulated to the
  Vice-presidency of the United States.
• In 1858, once more, is defeated on his efforts to be
  elected as senator.
• In 1860, is elected sixteenth president of the United
  States of America.

Not only for the abolition of slavery in his country,
will Lincoln equally be forever remembered for the oratory
masterpiece that follows for the enjoyment of our
readers.

The Gettysburg Address (19 November, 1863):

"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought
forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and
dedicated to the proposition that all men are created
equal.

"Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing
whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated,
can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war.
We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final
resting place for those who here gave their lives that that
nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we
should do this.

"But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we
cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The
brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated
it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will
little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never
forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be
dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here
have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here
dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from
these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for
which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we
here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in
vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of
freedom—and that government of the people, by the people,
for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Bibliography

• Medline Plus
• Shenk, J. W: (2005) Lincoln’s Melancholy:
  How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His
  Greatness Houghton Mifflin NY
• McPherson, J: (2000) To the Best of my Ability:
  The American Presidents DK Books
• Larocca, F. E. F: (2007) Lincoln y el Mal de
  Marfán en monografías.com

Dr Félix E. F. Larocca MD