I never knew the extent of JFK's illnesses, especially since he was so young. I knew about the Addison's and the bad back (from the war, I think), but had no idea about all the rest.

And my mother swears that nobody knew about FDR's paralysis. She read later that the press knew, but completely accommodated him. She read that during a press conference, the photographers would willingly lower their cameras to the ground until his aides had him propped up behind the podium. Imagine the press going along with something like that today?????