Editing Harold Washington (section)

===Rumors===
Immediately after Washington's death, rumors about how Washington died began to surface. On January 6, 1988, Dr. Antonio Senat, Washington's personal physician, denied "unfounded speculations" that Washington had [[cocaine]] in his system at the time of his death, or that foul play was involved. [[Cook County]] [[Medical Examiner]] Robert J. Stein performed an [[autopsy]] on Washington and concluded that Washington had died of a heart attack. Washington had weighed {{convert|284|lb|kg|0}}, and suffered from [[hypertension]], [[Hypercholesterolemia|high cholesterol]] levels, and an [[Cardiomegaly|enlarged heart]].<ref name="williams_19880107">{{cite news |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CSTB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0EB36DABC60075D3&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |title=Washington's doctor debunks foul play talk |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |author=Williams, Lillian |date=January 7, 1988 |access-date=January 29, 2008}}</ref> His diet was "heavy in fat and sodium", wrote [[Gary Rivlin]].{{sfn|Rivlin|1992|p=408}} On June 20, 1988, Alton Miller again indicated that drug reports on Washington had come back negative, and that Washington had not been poisoned prior to his death. Dr. Stein stated that the only drug in Washington's system had been [[lidocaine]], which is used to stabilize the heart after a heart attack takes place. The drug was given to Washington either by paramedics or by doctors at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.<ref name="tribune_19880621">{{cite news |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0FF7DFEFB29D7E80&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |title=No drug link to ex-mayor's death |author=Unknown |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=June 21, 1988 |access-date=January 29, 2008}}</ref> [[Bernard Epton]], Washington's opponent in the 1983 general election, died 18 days later, on December 13, 1987.