“Typhoid Mary” Much has appeared in the press of late concerning the unfortunate woman who for two years past has been held a prisoner upon North Brothers Island by order of the board of health. On June 29 she appeared before Supreme Court Justice Giegerich on a writ of habeas corpus, sued out by her attorney to obtain her release. Judging from the evidence, we all know that Mary is a “typhoid carrier,” and a dangerous one by reason of her occupation as a cook; but she is only one among many such “carriers” and it is scarcely justice to place upon her alone the burden that should be shared by her entire class. Of all those who recover from typhoid fever something like four per cent. carry about with them the germs of the disease for long periods of time. They are “carriers” in fact, and can, like Mary, become centers for secondary infection. There are at the present moment probably 560 such persons in the state of New York, representing four per cent. of the 14,000 cases of typhoid fever occurring during the past year. How many must be added to that number to allow for the “hold-overs” coming down from previous years it would be hard to guess. Others will be added during the year to come. We can not keep in detention all these people, then why single out and imprison one. Typhoid carriers are dangerous when they are possessed of uncleanly personal habits, and they become more so when their occupations have to do with the preparation of food. It would be eminently wise to instruct a “carrier” as to the danger lurking in human dejecta and to insist upon the necessity for great personal cleanliness. It might be also well for the authorities to direct that such a person should not be engaged in the preparation of food ; but beyond “education” and an order for “change of occupation” it is scarcely practical or fair to go. W. P. Mason Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, July 1, 1909

“Typhoid Mary” Much has appeared in the press of late concerning the unfortunate woman who for two years past has been held a prisoner upon North Brothers Island by order of the board of health. On June 29 she appeared before Supreme Court Justice Giegerich on a writ of habeas corpus, sued out by her attorney to obtain her release. Judging from the evidence, we all know that Mary is a “typhoid carrier,” and a dangerous one by reason of her occupation as a cook; but she is only one among many such “carriers,” and it is scarcely justice to place upon her alone the burden that should be shared by her entire class. Of all those who recover from typhoid fever something like four percent carry about with them the germs of the disease for long periods of time. They are “carriers” in fact, and can, like Mary, become centers for secondary infection. There are at the present moment probably 560 such persons in the state of New York, representing four percent of the 14,000 cases of typhoid fever occurring during the past year. How many must be added to that number to allow for the “hold-overs” coming down from previous years it would be hard to guess. Others will be added during the year to come. We cannot keep in detention all these people; then why single out and imprison one? Typhoid carriers are dangerous when they are possessed of uncleanly personal habits, and they become more so when their occupations have to do with the preparation of food. It would be eminently wise to instruct a “carrier” as to the danger lurking in human dejecta and to insist upon the necessity for great personal cleanliness. It might be also well for the authorities to direct that such a person should not be engaged in the preparation of food; but beyond “education” and an order for “change of occupation” it is scarcely practical or fair to go. W. P. Mason Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, July 1, 1909