neurotwitch

A Real Urban Legend

BioMedNet posted a review of Typhoid Mary : An Urban Historical by Anthony Bourdain: Magazine: Beagle Review. (Registration is free).

Her real name was Mary Mallon, and not much is known about her other than typhoid appeared wherever she was employed as a cook. An excerpt:

"Mary was angry at the unexpected site [sic] of me, and although I recited some well-considered speeches committed to memory in advance to make sure she understood what I meant, and that I meant her no harm, I could do nothing with her.

"She denied she knew anything about typhoid. She had never had it nor produced it. There had been no more typhoid where she was than anywhere else.

"There was typhoid fever everywhere. Nobody had ever accused her of causing any cases or had any occasion to do so. Such a thing had never been heard of."

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