On July 9, 1850, Zachary Taylor, the twelfth president of the United States and a celebrated Mexican-American War hero, passed away while in office. His sudden demise followed Independence Day festivities earlier that week, during which he consumed large amounts of cherries and frozen milk. He became violently ill shortly after the celebration, and historical records indicate that a severe stomach disease, likely cholera morbus, brought an abrupt end to his presidency.
A fascinating layer to this tragedy emerged more than a century later due to persistent rumors that Taylor had been assassinated by pro‑slavery conspirators. In 1991, his body was exhumed from its vault in Kentucky so forensic pathologists could test his remains for poison. The chemical analysis revealed only trace levels of arsenic naturally present in the environment, officially debunking the murder theories and confirming that his deadly illness was indeed caused by contaminated food or water.
