With the life of roosevelt. He is a medical doctor. Hes boardcertified neurologist and practiced for many years, current president at the Neurological Association of new jersey. Also a member of the new jersey state board of medical examiners and former resident at the society. Hes also an avid magazine collector and whas written about his experience and it waspublished in conjunction with the exhibit which i remember clearly. His book fdr unmasked 73 years of medical coverups that rewrote history is now available and we would like to welcome him to the podium today. Good morning. We a brief excerpt from chapter 12. Weather in washington dc on the morning of march 4 1933 fdrs first Inauguration Day is frigid and gloomy ,matching the countrys mood. Americans were facing a future certain only in its likeness. Bank failures and foreclosures with farms and homes were on the rise. New York Stock Exchange had just suspended trading. Acquiescing to tradition Herbert Hoover road with his successor on one and a half mile parade route from the white house to capital. Franklin waived his selftop hat and flashed his famous grin in response to the crowd. But camouflage the president elects ability or inability to walk in order chairman doctor Kerry Grayson Woodrow Wilsons former physician and no stranger to president ial coverups got a wooden passageway constructed from the Capitol Rotunda to the site of the swearingin. The film franklin traversing the final 30 feet to the speakers podium shows his body swaying back and forth as he propels himself towardsthe lectern with his son james on his left. Neither franklins cane or james arm is visible. Even the old office had to be staged to create the impression that franklin was standing on assisted facing chief Justice Charles hughes. His right hand raised, his left surreptitiously grasping for support with the 17thcentury dutch family open to the First Episode of the corinthians before him. Once he had been sworn in the 32nd president committed to grasp especially constructed lectern. With both hands spoke the words that would become the most memorable he ever heard. This great nation will indoor as it has endured. We will revive and prosper. Let me assert my firm belief the only thing we haveto fear is fear itself. Nameless on reasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes efforts to convert, retreat and to advance he said. Many of the millions listening across the nation on the radio to their president s voice doubtless were thinking what is does he know about fear . Had he ever have to worry about going with on the old, o losing a job or forced to abandon his or her home,but franklin had known fear. Illness had more than once him to the brink of death. Every time he went out in public he faced the prospect of falling flat on his face and in 1930 he heard the most , three most terrifying words in the english language. You have cancer. My name is doctor stephen zelizer and a good portion of my job has been unraveling medical mysteries and educating patients in clear understandable which. The last 18 years one of my greatest passions has been in researching most complex, most highly guarded and most historically important medical mysteries. The truth of the health of Franklin Delano roosevelt. The conclusions are based on the weight of the evidence, much of it presented and analyzed in this book is medical biography for the first time. If my assertions are not documentable beyond a reasonable doubt i said for example the scenario i laid out just another of Franklin Delano roosevelts prostate, much of what you are about to hear is not speculation but fact. Fdr unmasked discusses the swarms ofillnesses that he was to confront. Crippling polio, frequent actuarial infections and a nearly fatal hemorrhage aboard his yacht in 1934. Lifethreatening gastrointestinal bleeding in the months leading up to pearl harbor. Swamp fever, a disease he made up to deflect from another medical crisis. Excruciating abdominal pain, to cancers, countless surgeries or camouflage and treatment above his left eye and in his last year severe cardiovascular disease and frequent epileptic seizures just to mention a few. Two revelations in fdr unmasked including information from the archive of a previously obscured cancer surgeon who began treating him in 1930 while he was governoredof new york. Also discussed is the reputation relationship between fdr and his nephew by marriage, the closest male friendship of his life and most exciting to me a medical coverup that began two decades after fdrs death that attempted to literally rewrite history. After rereading the subtitle of this book one might ponder how medical coverups can last 73 years for a man who lived for only 70 years. It first began in 1921 after the 39yearold former assistant secretary and Vice President ial candidate contracted a childrens disease. Franklins mentor told him if the extent of his paralysis ever became public his career was put. From that point on the severity of his disability y was intentionally minimized. Polio was a roadblock that took him seven years to getto the point of running again for public office. Contrary to Books Publishers the disease did not provide him with an infusion of empathy that carried him to the presidency. What did carry him to the presidency was an extraordinary intellect and ambition , attributes that the only child of anequally determined mother. Even before 1921 polio medical problems had intervened with virtually every milestone of his career. His association came about in 1912 when fdr was about torun for a second term as state senator and landed flat on his back with a potentially fatal case of typhoid feature. He conducted a Successful Campaign with an indivisible candidate and after the victory addressed the letter of congratulations to the beloved and revered future president. Even eleanors permanent emotional break with her husband came to a head in 1918 when she discovered love letters from lucy mercer in his luggage after he contracted a severe case of spanish flu. The deadliest pandemic in human history. From the time he reentered public life as governor of new york franklin s family his inner Circle Advisors and teams of physicians assiduously described the state of his health. Promoting the fantasy of robust leader who was always an excellent physical condition or a man his age. And why did i choose the image of fdr as a saint in the book cover . That ancient egyptian relic we now continuously tell a riddle that wouldnever answer , reporters were so baffled about franklins potential decision to run for a unprecedented third term they had a papiermcchc image of him fashioned as the sphinx complete with trademark cigarette holder and glasses and presented to him at the annual Gridiron Club banquet. The president was so fond of this parody as the centerpiece for the oddities room when he opened his libraries, this library a year later. This stinks has now been returned to his prominent position in a permanent exhibition a few yards from here and i urge you to go see it. Time magazine wrote june 10, 1940. The mystery last week Franklin Delano roosevelt 80 years old seven generations removed from a dutch settler 1644 the son of a country gentleman the bill of the Hunting Valley was the head of the last great democracy still at peace with 33 weeks left of his second term yet although he was in his eight years as president although he had moved worked even last exhorted praised and the intensity glare of public scrutiny although his every facial grimace the tone of his voice each mannerism the dark mold over his left eyebrow, the mole on his right cheek. All of these were public property internet to every us citizen, still theres no man who can answer the question who is Franklin Roosevelt . Er ups. One must understand the incredible magnetic personality of fdr and the love and loyalty he generated in those fortunate enough to be taken into inner circle. Two weeks before fdr died. Howard brown sat down with daisy stokely in warm springs and told her quote you realize that like all people who work with this man, i love him. If he told me to out of a window, i would do it without hesitation, unquote. The good doctor and the wily ms. Oakley continued. Jump through that window. For half a century, fdr has epilepsy. It sounds shocking but true. First described in fdr a deadly secret. My 2010 biography written with journalist eric fetterman, has since confirmed to be true by my colleagues and their most prestigious journal. The seizures, which occurred frequently after 1943, are the best way to ascertain whom was participating in a medical cover up by virtue of their about reporting them. These shocking events, though not understood at the time for their true medical significance, were nonetheless described by well over a dozen observers. Yet others who surely witnessed scores of them, including his frequent campaign agents, his doctors, his daughter and his wife, did not. The first female cabinet member, frances perkins, who had known fdr from his days as a new york state senator, described the seizures to Columbia University historians in 1955, quote, the change in his appearance had to do with the oncoming of a glassy eye and an extremely drawn look around the eyes and cheeks and even sort of a dropping of the muscles of the jaw on the mouth as though they werent working exactly when he fainted, as he did occasionally, not for many years, but for several. That was all accentuate that it would be momentary, it would be very brief, and hed be back again, unquote, even. And i mistook these episodes for what she called little brain bursting that she described to a close friend. A record of that conversation was found at the Herbert Hoover library at north branch, iowa, as well as other about fdr health. That, thanks to these are certainly never made it to hyde park. Fdr en also presents for the first time the story of relationship with Vincent Astor. One cannot truly understand fdr without examining that close relationship, among other, astors hosted on his palatial 263 foot yacht norman for medical treatment and. Acted as as a personal spy master for over a decade. Vincent was the son, john jacob astor, the fourth, the wealthiest man to go on the titanic and to two up in 1912, which just claimed another five victims a 20. He was a 20 year old harvard freshman and, a primary beneficiary of his fathers enormous estate. A few years, astor, the fourth, had named his best and his brother in law to the executor of that estate. That just happened to be fdr. Half brother rosie, who assigned franklins law firm to represent the astor family while franklin nearly ten years older than vincent. By the time their friendship blossomed in 1912, they, in vincents words, grown to become the same age vincent and franklin shared a love for the sea and used voyages as a retreat to avoid the press. Mr. Astor discovered early the solace of the sea time in 1928. Reporters not infest the ocean, said vincent. The social gulf between american eyes is not so much measured in money as in newspaper headlines. Fdr harbored similar sentiments, referring to his cruises, quote, the only place can get away from people telephones and uniforms. To learn more about this fascinating relationship, simply google, astor and Franklin Roosevelt and a highly informative and exquisitely documented article written by a researcher while employed at this will be found at the top of the list. Fdr first cruise aboard normal hal was an early 1933 just after hed been elected president and ended with an assassination attempt on him during a speech in miami, florida, by an immigrant bricklayer that instead killed the mayor of chicago. The other guests who regularly sailed aboard that were almost exclusively the gentry. That astor was most comfortable with and collectively became as the normal gang. One member of that gang, though, was very different. Dr. W leslie hightower, a physician of modest means from mobile, alabama, had trained in new york city in 1929 as a cancer surgeon at the institution that became todays memorial sloankettering cancer center. And then in 1930 at Cornell Universitys prestigious new york hospital, heider was introduced to Vincent Astor, the chief of staff of that hospital. Another member of the normal hall gang, a young heiress, helen hooper brown, had been treated by heider, the hospital and became enamored. His competence and demeanor likely the young doctors to the chief of staff, helen hooper, was the wife of lathrop brown, fdr schoolmate at groton and his apartment maid at harvard. Fdr had served, at best as best man at the hooper brown wedding, and lathrop had done likewise for franklin and eleanor in 1905. Dr. Hightowers unknown archive first revealed in fdr in masks, provides rock solid that he began treating fdr. He was governor of new york shortly before that fateful, which likely involved surgical treatment of the president elect. Vinson had written dr. Heider to tell him, quote, for obvious reasons on this particular trip, it will be absolute essential to have a member of your particular profession on board. And i dont know of anybody who would in as well as you. A stunning, handwritten postscript added, quote, our primary preliminary trip will have to be kept under the hat until our principal guest gives out, unquote, another. Previously on unknown letter from dr. Heider to his is the best eyewitness record of his intimate friendship with fdr and astor, as well as the events surrounding the attempt. Heider and vincent, though strange bedfellows, remained lifelong friends. Paperwork for. Every trip taken by fdr during, his presidency is preserved in separate files of the famous trip files the library. Fdr is cruise aboard normal overseas. 1934 was particular eventful. A telegram in the file addressed to fdr at the white house from a jacksonville, florida cancer radiation Treatment Specialist requests a meeting just before the departure of normal aboard ship to demonstrate how to use a medical device he had invented that would be of quote great benefit to the cancer patient unquote. Dr. Heider was the ships doctor. The file reveals an unexpected medical complication and its cover up, which necessitated a weeks of the cruise. Franklin son james and elliott were hurriedly summoned to the ship likely as transfusion donors. The cover up included and communications between normal and fdr as press secretaries in miami washington a letter written just after the crisis by his press secretary reads, quote, robby, which was an alias. Fdr was actually astors dashing was really, really very was really very very ill, unquote. James contacted dr. Heider about the normal voyages while preparing his 1958 memoir, not and acknowledged without a doubt that he knew that heider had been the president s doctor, yet made no mention. Heider, in the final manuscript. He also concocted a detailed story to explain brothers elliotts presence. So why does all of this matter . The present narrative of the life, of the consequential person of the united states. Of the 20th century is incomplete. And in many cases false. The gospel, according bruin, fdr, indeed a very sick man, yalta, and had battled serious for decades previously until the narrative of franklins life has been set straight, especially with to his health the magnitude of his accomplishments cannot be properly assessed. Fdr unmasked goes a long way towards achieving that end. Thank you. I look forward to questions. Thank you. Thats very gratifying, i believe. If anybody has a question youve been asked to step up to the microphone microphone, all we question was. Yes, sir. On. To what degree was eleanor apprized of fdr actual circumstances and condition. Well, the only medical records we have from fdr his health come from illinoiss files. Now as you know fdr and eleanor had had parallel lives, but she was aware of and in fact, when asked about his health, she generally denied there was any problem. Thats in the book. Uh huh. The great Catherine Smith wrote the book on resilience. Thank you. Youve met a lot of resistance in the fdr industry, i guess about your theories and your proof. Can you talk a little bit about that. Well, again, ive been doing what i do for the last 50 years. I entered medical school in 1972. I am this all unfolded my eyes and we had some some interesting success in 2010. But book goes a lot farther, particularly with respect to being treated as for cancer. While he was. Dr. Heider is a dr. Hightowers records are brand new and all things about Vincent Astor who was indeed his most is closest male friendship of his adult life. Also enhance is exactly what were talking about history historians have pretty well burned into the stone and sometimes its hard to rewrite history. Thats why thats the subtitle of the book. I am confident that with time the truth which is im talking about will come out now. Always, always, again. Like i said, the end. Does this make fdr as accomplishments worse or does it does it shine a good on him . And the answer to that is, as i said, that if understand what he had to go through, the time that he was going through it fighting terminal diseases, making up diagnoses, doing anything you can to get what he had done, his fortitude and his determination and his marvelous carried him to be the greatest of the 20th century. And it enhances what he did. It doesnt diminish it from diminish it at all. Dr. Lemay as we talked your book a couple of times, when it was in progress, what i found most compelling was your analysis of the mole or the or whatever on his left eyebrow, which was obviously visible. So how that over the course of time, i wonder you could elaborate on that. Well again, interestingly, as you know fdr founded warm springs and his his idea about hydrotherapy caused him to buy warm springs and literally roosevelt was one of the most one of the best and most rehabilitative physicians in the 1920s. And if not american history. But one of the things that he liked to do and one of his treatments for his men, for his for his polio, he felt that being in the sun was a very, very important thing. And he wrote letters to people saying. Its even best if you do it completely naked. But if you cant do that, do it with the bathing suit. This letters or that was his treatment. Now, of course, when you have a a blotch over your eye and what wasnt known at the time, was the relationship between radiation of the sun and the development of melanoma. So sometime around 29, 1930, he heard those three words and heider, just like dr. Bruen was recruited to take care of it, is an interesting person. His own son is he had a son was born in 1945. So have had long conversations with him. He actually shunned the the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Went back to mobile, alabama, and became an obstetrician where he delivered babies and operated on people often for very minimal amount of recompense. He was very friendly. Vincent throughout his life, the richest man in world would come to visit him in alabama. His latest, i know of 1952, because thats the last time bill remembers it. So theres so many things in this. Go to that website. You, my friend. My, my, my coworker cohort will villanova wrote it at the library. Its a fab list document and youll learn all about things you really never knew before after your life. What we dont we know something about after his life. What we dont know is what we dont know. And now i think weve learned a lot more. But theres a long way to go even as yet. So i thank you for that. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, bill
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