[Roosevelt and Hopkins: a paretic president with a chronically ill adviser leading the United States during World War II].

Abstract

Succeeding Herbert Hoover in 1933 as President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt of The Democratic Party did not hesitate to make Congress immediately endorse his New Deal relief and recovery measures to help the depression-stricken Americans. Doing this, and during the rest of his life, Roosevelt had to cope with severe paralysis of his legs resulting from poliomyelitis infection in 1921 necessitating the use of leg braces and crutches, or a wheel chair. Before and during World War II Roosevelt leaned on Harry Hopkins, a former director of various health agencies with a penetrating mind and ability to discuss and implement Roosevelt's decisions. In spite of Hopkins suffering from the sequels of surgery for stomach cancer, he rendered invaluable support to the president. Franklin D. Roosevelt died 63 years old in April 1945 from a cerebral haemorrhage, and Harry Hopkins died 56 years old in 1946 from haemochromatosis.