Wikipedia article of the day for September 23, 2026

The Wikipedia article of the day for September 23, 2026 is Mary Mallon.
Mary Mallon (September 23, 1869 – November 11, 1938), dubbed Typhoid Mary, was an Irish-born cook who lived in the US and is believed to have infected up to 57 people with the bacteria that cause typhoid fever, with three confirmed deaths. Between 1897 and 1907, Mallon worked at several homes; residents at four of them contracted typhoid. In 1907, she was forcibly quarantined at Riverside Hospital, but was freed in 1910, promising not to work as a cook. A further outbreak at the Sloane Maternity Hospital, where she was working, resulted in 25 cases and two deaths in early 1915. She was again confined, remaining so until her death in 1938. Her nickname became a term for anyone who spreads disease. Mallon's case raises questions about the balance between individual liberty and public health. No other carrier of typhoid was confined for as long as she was. Her story has been reevaluated, particularly during outbreaks of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and COVID-19.