Zachary Taylor poisoning conspiracy

Record	OBS-0490
Category	Government/Cover-ups
Status	DEBUNKED
Summary	The sudden death of President Zachary Taylor in 1850 sparked speculation that he was poisoned by pro-slavery conspirators due to his stance on the Compromise of 1850. In 1991, his body was exhumed and tested for arsenic, but only trace amounts were found, leading to a conclusion of natural causes. Some historians remain skeptical, arguing that hair samples were not adequately examined.
Origin	The theory emerged shortly after Taylor's death in 1850, with renewed interest in the late 1980s leading to the 1991 exhumation.
Claimed	Taylor was poisoned with arsenic or strychnine by supporters of slavery angered by his support for the Compromise of 1850. The 1991 autopsy was flawed and did not properly test hair samples that might have shown higher toxin levels. Taylor's death was not natural but a murder that was never solved.
Evidence / consensus	The 1991 autopsy found arsenic levels hundreds of times lower than lethal, and experts concluded Taylor died of natural causes, likely cholera or dysentery. The poisoning theory is not supported by evidence.

> OBSERVER NOTE:
Classic presidential death conspiracy. The 1991 exhumation was a thorough attempt to settle it, but the theory persists among those who distrust the findings.

Sources

Sources are external and provided for verification. Listing does not imply the Observer endorses their claims.