James is given ample portions of brandy to dull the coming pain. The memory of this moment is so intense that Polk will never again drink spirits. Using a sharp knife, Dr. McDowell slices open the perineum and inserts a slim, pointed tool known as a gorget through the prostate gland and into the bladder, where he successfully removes a urinary stone through a process known as a cystolithotomy. The surgery renders James Polk sterile—and perhaps impotent—for the rest of his life. However, despite the condition, he becomes a diligent student. The future president never weighs more than 135 pounds
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