Prior to his inauguration in 1857, James Buchanan stayed at the National Hotel when an outbreak of viral dysentery sickened him and killed some of the other guests. He got better, then suffered a relapse on the eve of his inauguration; which could plausibly have killed him. However, there was no outgoing Vice President, and Congress was not in session, so the Presidency would have been vacant until VP-elect John Breckinridge's term began the next day.