Great article at Canada Free Press – […] Mary Mallon, “the most dangerous woman in America” was born in Ireland and later worked as a cook for wealthy families in New York.
She was the first known carrier of typhoid fever in the USA, and although without any symptoms, she was still contagious and continued to spread the disease to at least 53 persons (who spread it to others), three of whom died.
It is thought she infected 50 others who died but it could not be determined since she changed her name so often. She refused to stop working as a cook and was confined to a hospital where she died 20 years later.
Mary worked as a cook from 1900 to 1907 in New York City area and within two weeks of her employment, residents developed typhoid fever. Then she moved to New York City where members of the family for whom she worked developed fever and diarrhea, and the laundress died.
Mallon then went to work for a lawyer; she quit after seven of the eight people in that household became ill. She took other positions in Long Island, and left a trail of infection everywhere. She always resigned when family members became ill. (more…)