<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"&gt;The Post's new Retropolis columnist, Petula Dvorak, introduces herself and reintroduces you to what can be uncovered with a good look at history.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2025/01/17/presidential-inauguration-james-buchanan-national-hotel-disease/?utm_source=podcasts&amp;amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;amp;utm_campaign=retropod" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"&gt;Petula shares her Retropolis column "The presidential inauguration that made everyone sick" about the aftermath of James Buchanan’s inauguration&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"&gt;. America became obsessed: Was the fatal illness called the “Buchanan Grip” an assassination attempt? Or just a disease-ridden hotel?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

In the aftermath of James Buchanan’s inauguration, America became obsessed: Was the fatal illness called the “Buchanan Grip” an assassination attempt? Or just a disease-ridden hotel?

The presidential inauguration that made everyone sick

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