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By EUGENE McCARTHY
Rappahannock News Guest Columnist
A number of pundits have been declaring that the President, through his making public and available to the media details of the condition of his colon, has “done a lot for” cancer.
I don’t know whather these writers had firm evidence of what the President had done, or were assuming good results, or rather, were merely justifying their excessive and detailed press coverage.
The theme was picked up and extended to credit Rock Hudson with having “done a lot for” AIDS by making public his condition.
Others in the media went back to credit Mrs. (former First Lady) Betty Ford for “having done a lot for” breast cancer and alcoholism.
This disposition in public figures, including presidents and their wives, to go public with their physical disabilities is a relatively new development.
President Roosevelt’s disability was publicly known but was treated with decent respect. Pictures 6f him in his wheelchair were rare, and the . public was spared pictures of his f struggling to assume a standing position behind a rostrum.
Harry Truman, if he had any serious physical ailments, kept quiet about them. He may have done some good for bourbon, and for cussing, but none for pain-killers or anti-acid potions or tablets. His wife, Bess, was similarly reserved about her health.
The public did hear a lot about ileitis during President Eisenhower’s bout with that affliction. Some persons may be more ready now than before to admit having ileitis, although there was never any stigma attached to the disease, which seems to have no social significance.
Commentators were not moved to say that the president had “done a lot for” ileitis. So, too, his heart attack
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