What comes to your mind when you hear the words, “Typhoid Mary?” If you think it’s a popular name given to a person called “Mary,” you are right! But do you know how she acquired this name? That’s exactly what we are going to discuss in this blog! Mary Mallon, who later became “Typhoid Mary,” was a healthy individual, contrary to the belief that she suffered from typhoid. We hope your interest is kindled right now! So come on… let’s learn more about Typhoid Mary and her life!
A Short Biography of Mary Mallon
Mary Mallon was born on 23rd September 1869 in Cookstown, Ireland. She was a single woman who immigrated to the US in 1884. Mallon worked for several wealthy families in various domestic positions until she settled down in her cooking career.
Mary Mallon suffered from typhoid.
- A. True
- B. False
In 1906, Mary Mallon was employed as a cook by Charles Henry Warren, a rich New York banker. Over the years, Mallon went on to cook for many more wealthy families.
How Did Mallon Acquire the Name, “Typhoid Mary?”
It is believed that Mary Mallon was the first person in the United States to infect many people with typhoid fever through her cooking unknowingly. However, Mary herself did not experience any signs or illnesses related to that disease, which made it difficult to identify the source of the outbreaks.
As Mallon moved from one household to another, people in those houses started falling ill with typhoid. You may wonder how that was possible. We will tell you how!
Six members of the house of Charles Henry Warren became sick with typhoid. People were incredulous because typhoid was a disease that attacked individuals in slums and those who didn’t have basic sanitation facilities. So how could the bacteria causing typhoid attack people in a wealthy family?
Warren’s landlord employed George Soper, a sanitary engineer, who had investigated previous cases of typhoid fever. The landlord asked Soper to find out the cause of typhoid in Warren’s family. Soper soon discovered that some families, where Mary Mallon had worked as a cook, were affected by the disease. And, Mallon seemed to be the only common factor in all these families!
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Did Mallon Have Typhoid?
Word about Mary Mallon being the cause of the typhoid outbreak spread like wildfire. However, as stated earlier, Mallon herself didn’t show any signs or symptoms of typhoid like fever, fatigue, diarrhea, or abdominal pain. She was perfectly healthy and kept on cooking for many families.
Later, people got to know that Mallon was just the “carrier” of typhoid, and hence, was called, “Typhoid Mary.” Carriers of a disease don’t get sick because of it, but they pass on the germs to other people.
Mallon was soon regarded as “unclean,” because she was the host of the bacterium called, “Salmonella typhi,” which caused the typhoid outbreak in the US. Mallon was considered a threat to public health.
How Did Mary Mallon Spread Typhoid?
Mary Mallon or Typhoid Mary used to cook all the food that she served to the families for whom she worked. So, even if any bacteria were passed from her to the food, they would have been killed by cooking. Then, how could Mallon possibly contaminate the food and make people ill? This question swarmed in the minds of many.
Mallon used to serve her favorite “peach ice cream” as dessert to the families. The ice cream had cut and frozen raw peaches. Mallon didn’t have the habit of washing her hands thoroughly before serving the dessert. Therefore, she did it with unsanitized hands, which probably contained typhoid-causing bacteria. Yes, of course, it was unintentional!
Soper’s exact words regarding the bacteria spreading from Mallon’s hands were, “I suppose no better way could be found for a cook to cleanse her hands of microbes and infect a family.”
According to David Schneider, an immunologist at Stanford University, “Typhoid Mary was a very tolerant host who unfortunately also shed tons of pathogens.”
The Huge Impact Caused by Typhoid
Reports suggested that Typhoid Mary infected at least 51 people, of whom 3 died as a result of this disease. Tests on samples of Mallon’s stools indicated that she carried Salmonella typhi. She was isolated forcibly for quarantine purposes by the health authorities twice in her life. She spent a total of 26 years in isolation, most of which was spent on North Brother Island in New York in 1907 and again in 1915. She was not released in 1915, and later, she died at the age of 69 in 1938. Mallon’s forced quarantine was an unfair measure taken by the health department to prevent the disease from spreading further. However, she fought hard for her freedom from quarantine imposed by the New York City Health Department.
When Mallon was alive, she wrote to a reporter regarding her “imprisonment.” She stated, “I never had typhoid in my life, and have always been healthy. Why should I be banished like a leper and compelled to live in solitary confinement with only a dog for a companion?”
The Tragedy of Typhoid Mary
Salmonella typhi was later found in numerous people in the US, who also acted as carriers, just like Typhoid Mary. However, they were free to roam around, while Mary Mallon was imprisoned. There might be mistakes on her part too. For instance, she kept changing her name and using her aliases, she continued to cook in many kitchens in the US, which led to more typhoid outbreaks.
Eventually, Mary Mallon was forced to cook only for herself for many years. After her second quarantine, which lasted around 23 years, Mallon died of a paralytic stroke.
The Impact of Typhoid Mary on Public Health
The story of Typhoid Mary is a complicated one in world history. Her case also has a significant impact on public health. It is one of the best examples that highlights the importance of identifying and tracking the carriers of infectious diseases, even if there are no symptoms. Mallon’s story has led to the development of protocols and guidelines to deal with asymptomatic carriers, which are still followed today.
Must Read: Deadliest Diseases in the World!
The facts of Typhoid Mary’s story help us know the significance of disease control and prevention measures. To refresh your memory on those facts, answer the Quiz on this page.