How did Jonathan Swift’s health decline during his final years?

Throughout his life, Jonathan Swift suffered from Ménière’s disease, a condition affecting the inner ear that caused recurring bouts of dizziness and nausea. While he remained mentally sharp and active as a public figure through the 1730s, his physical health began to decline toward the end of that decade.1

In his final years, Swift suffered a paralytic stroke, which resulted in aphasia, a condition that impairs the ability to use or understand language. By 1742, his condition had deteriorated to the point that he was declared incapable of caring for himself, and legal guardians were appointed to oversee his affairs. He died in 1745 and was buried in St. Patrick’s Cathedral.1