Zachary Taylor died suddenly on July 9, 1850, from a stomach disease initially diagnosed as "cholera morbus," a 19th-century term for various severe intestinal ailments like acute gastroenteritis. His illness followed after he ate copious amounts of cherries and drank iced milk during July 4th celebrations, which led to severe stomach pains, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever over several days. Despite medical care, his condition worsened, and he died five days later. There has been speculation about whether Taylor was poisoned, particularly with arsenic, but tests conducted after his remains were exhumed in 1991 found only trace amounts of arsenic well below lethal levels. The official conclusion remains that he died of a natural digestive illness consistent with what was called cholera morbus at the time.