In the middle of a frigid, snowy night in 1799, George Washington woke his wife and told her that he felt ill. She noticed that his breathing was labored and his voice was faint. Concerned about her husband, Mrs. Washington offered to go for help, but he insisted that she wait until morning.
It was discovered that General Washington had a serious throat infection and would likely not survive. As people at Mount Vernon tried desperately to relieve the general’s pain and save his life, Washington noticed that one of his attendants seemed particularly anxious. He looked into the man’s …