National Geographic - Lincoln's Secret Killer? (2010)

How sick was Abraham Lincoln? The theories are plentiful: he had Marfan's syndrome, or syphilis or mercury poisoning. As the Civil War went on, Lincoln seemed to get sicker. There were multiple reports about his ill health during the spring of 1865. As a result, some people speculated recently that Lincoln was dying from a variety of illnesses, even before he was fatally wounded.
Scientists have long speculated about the health of the sixteenth American president Abraham Lincoln, whose long, lanky features were reminiscent of the genetic disorder Marfan syndrome, and whose melancholy hinted of depression. Lincoln certainly faced unspeakable personal trials and probably the greatest challenges any U.S. president has ever had to face: the literal break-up of the nation.
Was Lincoln dying of cancer when he was killed? National Geographic is on the front lines as scientists attempt to solve a genetic mystery-using a piece of fabric stained with the president's blood to run DNA analysis. The final year of Lincoln's life seemed to age him a decade, and he had lost an alarming amount of weight. Even today, his strange body shape, unusual height and long limbs have led to speculation that he harbored some hidden medical problem.