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<img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-25/quirino-sona.avif" alt="Quirino delivered his second SONA from a hospital bed in Baltimore, Maryland" />
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(On January 23, 1950, President Quirino delivered his second SONA from a hospital bed in Baltimore, Maryland - the only address to Congress ever broadcast solely via radio)
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<h3>
Background: A President's Health Crisis
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President Quirino's journey to Johns Hopkins Hospital represented a critical moment in Philippine presidential history. The 62-year-old leader had arrived in the United States on June 27, 1953, specifically seeking advanced medical treatment for multiple serious health conditions. His ailments included <b>bursitis, malaria, nervous exhaustion, kidney and heart complications, and potentially stomach ulcers</b>. Most significantly, he required <b>gastric ulcer operations</b> that would be performed during his extended stay in Baltimore.
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This was not Quirino's first visit to Johns Hopkins Hospital. Previously, in January 1950, he had delivered his State of the Nation Address (SONA) via radio broadcast directly from his hospital bed at Johns Hopkins while recovering from bleeding ulcers that required three operations. That historic broadcast made him the only Philippine president to deliver a SONA without personally appearing before Congress.
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<h3>
The Medical Treatment Context
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Johns Hopkins Hospital, founded in 1889, was already recognized as one of America's premier medical institutions by 1953. The hospital had established itself as a leading center for gastric and ulcer treatments, making it a natural choice for President Quirino's complex medical needs. During the 1950s, gastric ulcer surgery was a serious undertaking, with operative mortality rates varying significantly depending on the patient's condition and the complexity of the procedure.
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July 30, 1953: John Hopkin's Hospital announced the condition of President Quirino