The year 2011 marked the 70th anniversary of the death of Lou Gehrig. This article reviews his history, illness, relationship with his physicians, and what the modern physician can learn from his story. Lou Gehrig’s disease continues to be the popular eponym for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
KahnJ. The New York Sun. 1938. Quotes about Lou Gehrig-lougehrig.com.
2.
BakR. Lou Gehrig: An American Classic. Dallas, TX: Taylor Publishing Co; 1995.
3.
Letter signed by Dr H. Halbein, June 19, 1939. In: EigJ. The life and death of Lou Gehrig. Simon and Schuster2006. pp. 307–308.
4.
PowersJ. Has Polio Hit the Yankees? Sunday News. August 18, 1940. For an earlier press article where the journalist researched the true nature of ALS see: “Gehrig Case is Expected to Spur Research into Baffling Malady.”New York Times, June 29, 1939.
5.
Gehrig Day Epic Event. New York Post. July 5, 1939.
6.
EigJ. The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig. Simon and Schuster. 2006. p. 315.
7.
Gehrig. O’Leary correspondence. November 1, 1939.
8.
O’LearyP.Gehrig-O’Leary correspondence. December 8, 1939.
9.
Letter from Eleanor Gehrig to Dr P. O’Leary, April 9 1940. In: EigJ. The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig. Simon and Schuster. 2006. pp. 344–345.
10.
Case “LG” In: Weschler I. The treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with vitamin E (Tocopherols). Am J Med Sci. 1940;200(6):765–778.
11.
Gehrig-O’Leary correspondence, January 1941. In: EigJ. The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig. Simon and Schuster. 2006. p. 350.
12.
Tommy Heinrich. In: EigJ. The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig. Simon and Schuster. 2006. p. 355.
13.
“Mrs Lou Gehrig Recalls the “Iron Man’s’ Great Fight for His Life.”St Louis Daily-Globe Democrat. September 20, 1941.
14.
“Funeral Service for Gehrig is Held.”New York Times, June 5, 1941.
