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Short version. Mary was working as a cook in a wealthy family’s home not realizing she was a carrier for typhoid. Once discovered she was ordered not to work as a cook. She began working as a cook again and again infected the family she was working for. Doctors told her a surgery would remove the organ that was the source of her typhoid but she refused. She was locked up in a facility on an island until the day she died.
I don’t feel what they, the officials at the time, did was wrong considering she went back to work even after being informed of her status as a carrier. She may not have believe them because she felt fine and went back to work anyway. What I wonder is would the state of federal government today have the authority to lock away a person like this for the rest of their lives?
She probably went back to work because it was the only work she could do. I would imagine today, if there were no treatment or cure for such an affliction, we would be a bit more understanding and put them on disability so they didn't have to work...at the very least
A housemate of mine just got notified, that he's working alongside someone who has Covid. He's required to get tested, and if he's found to be a carrier, he'll be required to quarantine. I don't understand how that will solve the issue of someone, who's an asymptomatic carrier. A quarantine of any length won't change his status as a carrier.
So what will he be required to do? Go on some kind of indefinite sick leave? This remains to be seen. Hopefully, the test will come back negative, but what about the week, or month, after the test? How often will all the workers on his team have to get re-tested?
State governments are already locking people away, so they won't communicate the disease. But it's only a temporary lock-up. And it's at home, not in prison.
A housemate of mine just got notified, that he's working alongside someone who has Covid. He's required to get tested, and if he's found to be a carrier, he'll be required to quarantine. I don't understand how that will solve the issue of someone, who's an asymptomatic carrier. A quarantine of any length won't change his status as a carrier.
So what will he be required to do? Go on some kind of indefinite sick leave? This remains to be seen. Hopefully, the test will come back negative, but what about the week, or month, after the test? How often will all the workers on his team have to get re-tested?
State governments are already locking people away, so they won't communicate the disease. But it's only a temporary lock-up. And it's at home, not in prison.
Unlike people who are asymptomatic carriers of certain extremely virulent strains of typhoid (like Typhoid Mary), asymptomatic COVID-19 carriers do not shed the virus indefinitely. Usually the carriers of COVID-19 stop shedding the virus between 8 to 37 days. Periodic testing can inform the carrier as to when he/she is finally and safely clear of the virus.
Short version. Mary was working as a cook in a wealthy family’s home not realizing she was a carrier for typhoid. Once discovered she was ordered not to work as a cook. She began working as a cook again and again infected the family she was working for. Doctors told her a surgery would remove the organ that was the source of her typhoid but she refused. She was locked up in a facility on an island until the day she died.
I don’t feel what they, the officials at the time, did was wrong considering she went back to work even after being informed of her status as a carrier. She may not have believe them because she felt fine and went back to work anyway. What I wonder is would the state of federal government today have the authority to lock away a person like this for the rest of their lives?
Like another poster stated, this might have of been the only work she knew, however, if this meant being locked up on an island until death,m I sure ass hell would have of learned another trade, it isnt realy hard.
if she knew not to work as a cook, but still di, shame on her.
Today though, i wouldnt not have of been as barbaric as it did back in those days.
Wonder what the organ was that would stop the typhoid?
back in those days, I wouldnt have of trust doctors, but then, back then, they didnt know what we know, and 56 years from now, we will know even more, ill be dead in 56 years, so i dont care.
Short version. Mary was working as a cook in a wealthy family’s home not realizing she was a carrier for typhoid. Once discovered she was ordered not to work as a cook. She began working as a cook again and again infected the family she was working for. Doctors told her a surgery would remove the organ that was the source of her typhoid but she refused. She was locked up in a facility on an island until the day she died.
I don’t feel what they, the officials at the time, did was wrong considering she went back to work even after being informed of her status as a carrier. She may not have believe them because she felt fine and went back to work anyway. What I wonder is would the state of federal government today have the authority to lock away a person like this for the rest of their lives?
I don’t know if it’s forever, but several people have been convicted of having sex and not telling their partners that they were HIV positive or had AIDS. These were people, like Typhoid Mary, who knew they were infected. This was especially true before the drug treatments for AIDS became available, and people have been convicted/imprisoned for this both here and abroad. So yeah, same principle with Typhoid Mary holds true now. You cannot knowingly infect someone with a deadly disease and—if proven and caught—expect that there will be no consequences.
I don’t know of any legal action like this with Covid. But I’d guess that some smart lawyer or DA will find a way to bring such a case, either civil or criminal, into court.
Last edited by citylove101; 12-28-2021 at 11:37 PM..
Short version. Mary was working as a cook in a wealthy family’s home not realizing she was a carrier for typhoid. Once discovered she was ordered not to work as a cook. She began working as a cook again and again infected the family she was working for. Doctors told her a surgery would remove the organ that was the source of her typhoid but she refused. She was locked up in a facility on an island until the day she died.
I don’t feel what they, the officials at the time, did was wrong considering she went back to work even after being informed of her status as a carrier. She may not have believe them because she felt fine and went back to work anyway. What I wonder is would the state of federal government today have the authority to lock away a person like this for the rest of their lives?
AFAIK, this has happened recently with someone who had a treatment resistant form of TB. Like Mary, he was asymptomatic, but could pass the illness on. If others became symptomatic, there was no effective antibiotic. Unfortunately, it was a while ago and I can’t find an article on it.
There were TB hospitals until recently as well. In FL, they closed down the last one about a decade ago, while at the same time sending people who were diagnosed (often homeless people) to motels for quarantine and isolation.
She probably went back to work because it was the only work she could do. I would imagine today, if there were no treatment or cure for such an affliction, we would be a bit more understanding and put them on disability so they didn't have to work...at the very least
Nope, it wasn't the only work she could do, she had experience working at other types of domestic jobs too, but working as a cook for wealthy families would have paid a lot more than most other domestic jobs she could have applied for. The history of Mary Mallon and how she was discovered to be a carrier indicates that she already suspected or knew that she was somehow responsible for the illnesses and deaths of the people she had cooked for. She would quit each job at each place she worked at as soon as there was another outbreak and would disappear then go to another town to seek employment elsewhere. Even after it was confirmed by health authorities that she was a carrier who was born with the disease (her mother was infected during her pregnancy with Mary) and Mary would forever be a carrier, she still refused adamantly to comply with orders to not work as a cook.
She was sent to isolation twice, the first time being for a little over 2 years and when she was released from there after that period she immediately went back to work again as a cook against the orders of health authorities and flouting the law. After the 2nd time she was sent to isolation she was never released again as she still refused to comply about not working as a cook.
Short version. Mary was working as a cook in a wealthy family’s home not realizing she was a carrier for typhoid. Once discovered she was ordered not to work as a cook. She began working as a cook again and again infected the family she was working for. Doctors told her a surgery would remove the organ that was the source of her typhoid but she refused. She was locked up in a facility on an island until the day she died.
I don’t feel what they, the officials at the time, did was wrong considering she went back to work even after being informed of her status as a carrier. She may not have believe them because she felt fine and went back to work anyway. What I wonder is would the state of federal government today have the authority to lock away a person like this for the rest of their lives?
Needs must and food on the table would then come before spreading this terrible disease... some now with Covid are still doing the same things .. some refusing the jabs and still going out mixing with others.. maybe they deserve locking up to be honest..but of course times have changed and the world is so PC
Nope, it wasn't the only work she could do, she had experience working at other types of domestic jobs too, but working as a cook for wealthy families would have paid a lot more than most other domestic jobs she could have applied for. The history of Mary Mallon and how she was discovered to be a carrier indicates that she already suspected or knew that she was somehow responsible for the illnesses and deaths of the people she had cooked for. She would quit each job at each place she worked at as soon as there was another outbreak and would disappear then go to another town to seek employment elsewhere. Even after it was confirmed by health authorities that she was a carrier who was born with the disease (her mother was infected during her pregnancy with Mary) and Mary would forever be a carrier, she still refused adamantly to comply with orders to not work as a cook.
She was sent to isolation twice, the first time being for a little over 2 years and when she was released from there after that period she immediately went back to work again as a cook against the orders of health authorities and flouting the law. After the 2nd time she was sent to isolation she was never released again as she still refused to comply about not working as a cook.
She had to be a mental case, or really insensitive, to know she was a carrier, and even after being told so many times to NOT work as a cook, she constantly continued to work as a cook.
She could have of done another type of work, domestic work is not hard to find or do, yet, she defied, and still continued to be a cook, and yes, as soon as there was a family that an outbreak in typhoid, she left the scene and moved on.
I also read where she stated that she did not was her hands either.
I think she was a mental case.
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