One of the biggest talking about President John F. Kennedy’s life was of course his
assassination and the mysterious circumstances behind it.
But one less known fact about JFK’s life was how he managed to remain alive with his
various ailments.
Perhaps for this, credit has to go to his doctor – who was perhaps ‘questionable’
and unorthodox.
JFK’s doctor was Dr. Max Jacobson, also known as ‘Dr. Feelgood.’
Dr. Feelgood somehow managed to keep JFK alive even with his various ailments.
Often, however, his methods might raise a few eyebrows today.
So how did this happen?
What were the methods used by Dr. Feelgood?
Let’s look back at JFK’s questionable doctor who barely kept him alive…
JFK
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917.
He was born just outside Boston and was the son of Joseph Kennedy – a prominent entrepreneur
and Rose Kennedy, a prominent socialite, and philanthropist.
He was born into greatness and was destined for a great career ahead of him.
During his teens, JFK attended Choate – a prestigious boarding school for the sons of
gentlemen.
Here, he began feeling ill, and at first, doctors suspected that he had leukemia.
It was later found out that it was an inflammation of his colon.
While this wasn’t a major setback, it showed that young Jack would have to find a way to
deal with health problems while battling the stresses of his life.
He served in the United States Naval Reserve after finishing school and eventually became
a junior grade Lieutenant.
He would eventually receive the Navy and Marine Corps Medal as well as a Purple Heart.
He began his political career in the late 1940s.
He started his career in the House of Representatives and then served in the U.S. Senate from 1953
to 1960.
As a politician, he gained a reputation for being a servant of the people who cared about
his country and the liberties that America offered.
He would later become a symbol of freedom in America.
He wanted to fight against the growth of communism and worked to improve race relations.
However, one notable aspect of his Senate career was that he was often absent due to
his frequent illnesses.
As he became a more prominent politician, his health issues became a concern to the
public.
On January 2nd, 1960, JFK announced his candidacy for President of the United States.
While he already had extensive political experience, there was skepticism toward his young age
and even his Catholicism.
However, JFK managed to win Americans over with his enthusiasm, his eloquence, and his
love for the country.
His commitment to the separation of church and state and other American ideals made him
seem like the ideal American.
While he was one of the youngest presidents at the time, only 43 years old, JFK did have
a few health problems.
JFK felt overwhelming stress during his campaign and the toll of his presidential duties would
exhaust him.
He knew that he had to look after his health, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to fulfill
his duties.
No doubt his family, friends, colleagues, and the American people were also concerned
about JFK’s potential health issues.
It was at this time that he realized he needed a great doctor by his side to help him…
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Now, back to the video…
DR.
FEELGOOD
Max Jacobson was born on July 3rd, 1900, in the then German Empire.
Little is known about his childhood and his early life – or indeed, what his family
background was.
He studied at the Friedrich Wilhelm University of Berlin which is now known as the Humboldt
University of Berlin.
There’s little known about his career as a doctor while in Germany.
However, in 1936, Max, being Jewish, decided to flee Germany as Hitler and the Nazi Party
were coming to power.
He moved to the United States and set up a medical practice in Manhattan.
It wasn’t long until the good doctor became reputed for his medical talents.
Since his medical practice was on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, he naturally attracted
a wealthier crowd.
It wasn’t long until he got celebrity clients.
His famous clients included:
• Lauren Bacall • Ingrid Bergman
• Marlene Dietrich • Eddie Fisher
• Elizabeth Taylor • Billy Wilder
• Elvis Presley • Marilyn Monroe
• Zero Mostel • Rosemary Clooney
• Montgomery Clift and • Thelonious Monk
Among many others!
It wouldn’t be long until he started working with his most famous client, President John
F. Kennedy.
Becoming JFK’s doctor catapulted Dr. Jacobson to stardom and soon enough he got the nickname
‘Dr. Feelgood.’
He certainly got a lot of respect for becoming the doctor of the sitting President.
But his career and relationship with JFK would soon be mired in controversy and his reputation
would get tainted.
THE PRESIDENT AND THE DOCTOR
In May 1961, Dr. Feelgood met with JFK.
The President was feeling stressed and needed a medical expert on his side to protect him.
JFK asked Dr. Jacobson to travel with him to Vienna.
In Vienna, JFK would meet with the Soviet Leader Nikita Kruschev – their first meeting
together.
JFK needed medicine to help him deal with his stress and he needed Dr. Jacobson to inject
him with the dose.
Dr. Jacobson was happy to accept the offer.
As an immigrant who fled tyranny to reach the Land of the Free, he was honored to be
able to serve the American President.
Yet, the relationship between Dr. Jacobson and JFK would go down in history as one of
the strangest relationships between a politician and one of his assistants.
Sadly, Dr. Jacobson’s reputation as an admirable immigrant would soon be tainted.
Before we go on, we’ve got to look at the context in which this relationship flourished.
It was the height of the Cold War.
Tensions between the West and the Soviet Union were at an all-time high.
The United States was especially concerned about nearby Cuba’s relationship with the
Soviet Union.
As a result, the American President was expected to keep the peace between these superpowers.
The pressure on JFK couldn’t have been higher.
His health problems would continue to flare up and it was necessary that he was always
taken care of and that he was always on top of his game.
It was only natural that JFK would choose one of the country’s most famous doctors
to tend to him.
And who could be a better doctor than the very physician who took care of the country’s
biggest celebrities?
Yet, soon enough, controversy would surround the relationship between Dr. Feelgood and
JFK.
The moniker ‘Dr. Feelgood’ was considered strange and the fact that Dr. Jacobson embraced
this absurd moniker and proudly referred to himself with the name drew much criticism.
It was later revealed that Dr. Feelgood was giving JFK mind-altering injections that were
intended to make him feel better.
This would be controversial regardless of the patient – but to give such a “medicine”
to a sitting U.S. President while he’s en route to meet the leader of the rival Soviet
Union?
This is one example of truth being stranger than fiction!
This story wasn’t revealed until 1979, almost two decades after JFK had been assassinated.
There were government documents that revealed such information and Dr. Jacobson even mentioned
this in his own memoirs!
Part of the “treatment” which Dr. Jacobson administered included steroids and amphetamines.
He made over 30 visits to the White House throughout the 1960s to treat JFK.
Soon enough, the medical staff, however, banned him from visiting the President.
They intervened because they felt that Dr. Jacobson’s treatments were a harm to the
President.
It wasn’t just the White House physicians who warned the President about Dr. Feelgood’s
unusual treatments.
The Food and Drug Administration also warned JFK about the contents of the various treatments
he was receiving.
Yet, JFK balked at these remarks and once stated that he didn’t care what the injections
included.
According to him, they worked in helping him remain healthy!
But it wasn’t just JFK who received these doses.
Dr. Jacobson himself began taking amphetamines.
Due to his relationship with JFK, he began working longer hours and increased his list
of celebrity clients even more.
His behavior became erratic and his public persona was getting tarnished due to his behavior.
He was under suspicion for the amount of amphetamines that he would buy and administer to his patients.
Eventually, the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs intervened and confiscated his supply
of amphetamines.
On the 25th of April 1975, Dr. Feelgood was no longer in business – as his medical license
had been revoked.
John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald on November 22nd, 1963.
This assassination remains the major discussion point about JFK’s life and for many Americans,
his bizarre relationship with Dr. Feelgood has taken a backseat.
Dr. Max Jacobson himself died on December 1, 1979, in New York City.
His cause of death hasn’t been revealed and he has largely faded away from public
discussion.
This bizarre relationship does need further discussion however.
On one hand, one wonders how such an eccentric doctor managed to become close to the President.
On another hand, one wonders how JFK himself seemed to have no problem with the treatments
that Dr. Feelgood was giving him.
But until then, the public will still be focused on the mysterious circumstances surrounding
JFK’s assassination…
Now, let’s hear from you:
Did you know about JFK’s doctor?
In fact, here’s what we’d like to know:
Do you think that more people need to know about him?
Or do we need to focus more on the mysterious circumstances of JFK’s death?
Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.
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