The President Who Died From Fruit and Milk
Zachary Taylor just wanted to enjoy an Independence Day barbecue
July 4th, 1850 was a hot and humid day but not one that was dissimilar to any other summer day that had come before it. Many people from Washington had gathered on the green grass in the shadow of the White House to celebrate Independence Day. It was the 74th anniversary of the original date and spirits were high. They were on the grounds of what was to be the Washington Monument, which had recently been commissioned.
Recently elected, President Zachary Taylor was in attendance to socialize, eat, drink and celebrate with the other people of the city. A hero of the Mexican-American war, General Taylor won a handy victory in the election of 1848. He had been inaugurated just 16 months prior to the fateful party in 1850.
To combat the heat and humidity, the food items available were favorite summer treats. Juicy chilled fruits such as cherries, apples and more were served in abundance to the crowd. Iced water and chilled milk flowed like wine.
President Taylor partook heavily in the festivities. Many sources from the time described him as eating and drinking “copious amounts” of the provided refreshments. He then took a walk along the river to cool off towards the end of the party before…
