Typhoid Mary: A Case Study

Typhoid Mary's Case Study

• Cook: Mary Mallon, an Irish cook, worked for several wealthy families
• Disease: Typhoid fever, a bacterial infection.
• Symptoms: Headaches, stomach cramps, cough, burning skin, and fever.
• Outbreak: Multiple outbreaks of typhoid occurred in households where Mary worked.
• Investigation: George Soper, a sewer system designer, investigated the source of the outbreaks, interviewing staff and family members.
• Suspicion: Suspicion fell on Mary Mallon when households experienced typhoid despite having no prior history.
• Symptoms: The cook, Mary experienced no symptoms, but still carried the disease.
• Health Issues: Many family members and staff members fell ill, including daughters and the cook herself, although she remained asymptomatic
• Quarantine: Mary Mallon was quarantined on North Brother Island for 23 years.
• Trial outcome: She was acquitted of the crimes she was accused of.
• Findings: The investigation determined the cook transmitted the disease.
• Conclusion: Mary Mallon, unknowingly, spread the disease to multiple household members throughout various employment opportunities.
• Cause: Typhoid spread via the fecal-oral route; water and food contamination played a significant role in spreading the disease. The family's cook handled uncooked food, spreading the bacteria.
• Investigation tools: Tracing employment history, checking water and waste sources, and interviewing family members helped determine the source.
• Impact: The case highlighted the importance of sanitation, hygiene, and accurate diagnosis in preventing the spread of disease.
• Public health: The need for medical professionals and researchers to examine, investigate and prevent disease transmission from asymptomatic individuals became clear.

Social Distancing in the 1900s

• Quarantine measures: North Brother Island served as a quarantine area during this period.
• Disease control The methods used for limiting disease spread during this period focused on isolating those with or suspected of having the disease to prevent contagion in households.
• New York City: New York City experienced many outbreaks of disease and deaths.

History of Typhoid

• Occurrence: Typhoid was a prevalent illness in the 19th and 20th centuries.
• Transmission: Typhoid spread through contaminated water and food.
• Diagnosis: Diagnosis was difficult in the past due to lack of advanced medical tools and diagnostic methods.
• Treatment: Treatment methods were less effective than today's options, including antibiotics. Typhoid was not curable; individuals relied on symptomatic treatments, and often times were left to recover.