How did George Washington die?

On December 13, 1799, Washington was outside during a winter storm at Mount Vernon.  Not wanting to be late to dinner, he did not change out of his wet clothes, and that night started complaining of a sore throat.  His situation worsened, and his doctors practiced bloodletting on him.  His throat became inflamed, which caused the doctors to put "blister of cantharides" on Washington's throat due to the medical idea that blisters would draw out...

On December 13, 1799, Washington was outside during a winter storm at Mount Vernon.  Not wanting to be late to dinner, he did not change out of his wet clothes, and that night started complaining of a sore throat.  His situation worsened, and his doctors practiced bloodletting on him.  His throat became inflamed, which caused the doctors to put "blister of cantharides" on Washington's throat due to the medical idea that blisters would draw out the inflammation.  Since disease back then was considered an imbalance of humors, more blood was taken from Washington, and he was given enemas and made to vomit at a time when his body needed fluids in order to balance electrolytes.  Washington died the next day, and doctors and historians have debated the cause of death, with theories such as diphtheria, strep, and pneumonia, but the leading cause of death is an inflammation of the epiglottis, a flap that prevents food from going down the trachea.  This is consistent with contemporary doctor reports of Washington not being able to swallow, worsening to an inability to breathe.  Even today, an inflammation of this nature is still dangerous.