Pneumonia, Polyps and Gunshots: A Short History of Presidential Health

Hillary Clinton’s bout of pneumonia and the criticism of how little she and her opponent, Donald J. Trump, have made public about their medical histories thrust questions of transparency about health to the center of the presidential campaign this week, with both candidates promising to release more detailed records in the coming days.

While the public scrutiny of modern campaigns has made speculation about the health of presidential candidates more relentless, concerns about the fitness of candidates for office have long been a hallmark of American politics, with many hopefuls trying to conceal their maladies and opponents doing their best to exploit signs of weakness.

From brushing off gunshot wounds to working through paralysis, presidents, and those seeking the office, have been no strangers to challenging ailments. Here are a few of history’s most prominent examples.