Vanessa Richardson

There was no crank of the rotary washing machine, which everyone had become used to hearing in the mornings, and usually the laundress hummed to herself while she worked, but no one heard that either. Maybe the laundress had accidentally slept in, tired from days of hard work in the summer heat, so another servant was sent to wake her.

There was no crank of the rotary washing machine, which everyone had become used to hearing in the mornings, and usually the laundress hummed to herself while she worked, but no one heard that either. Maybe the laundress had accidentally slept in, tired from days of hard work in the summer heat, so another servant was sent to wake her.

Suddenly, the servant was sprinting back into the kitchen, begging for the others to join her. The terror in her eyes was unmistakable. Mary dropped her whisk into a bowl of egg yolks and dashed out after her. Running into the bedroom, Mary saw something that stopped her dead in her tracks.

Suddenly, the servant was sprinting back into the kitchen, begging for the others to join her. The terror in her eyes was unmistakable. Mary dropped her whisk into a bowl of egg yolks and dashed out after her. Running into the bedroom, Mary saw something that stopped her dead in her tracks.

The laundress was slumped over in her bed, pale as a ghost, and a now-familiar red rash peeked out from the sleeves and collar of the laundress' bedclothes. Mary's blood went cold. Not again, she almost said out loud. It couldn't be, she just barely stopped herself from crying out. But it was. Typhoid fever was back. Again, Mary left her job and began to look for work somewhere else.

The laundress was slumped over in her bed, pale as a ghost, and a now-familiar red rash peeked out from the sleeves and collar of the laundress' bedclothes. Mary's blood went cold. Not again, she almost said out loud. It couldn't be, she just barely stopped herself from crying out. But it was. Typhoid fever was back. Again, Mary left her job and began to look for work somewhere else.

Again, she managed to avoid getting sick. And again, her skills helped her find a new place of employment without too much delay. I should say that we can't be certain that Mary's disappearance was directly linked to typhoid fever. Domestic servants moved about quite frequently, perhaps hoping the next place they found work would be better. Sometimes a job would be seasonal or temporary.

Again, she managed to avoid getting sick. And again, her skills helped her find a new place of employment without too much delay. I should say that we can't be certain that Mary's disappearance was directly linked to typhoid fever. Domestic servants moved about quite frequently, perhaps hoping the next place they found work would be better. Sometimes a job would be seasonal or temporary.

so there are some logical reasons Mary would have chosen to leave. However, the timeline of her departure and the outbreak does align. By June of 1902, 33-year-old Mary Mallon was cooking in Dark Harbor, Maine, at the luxurious summer residence of New York lawyer J. Coleman Drayton and his family.

so there are some logical reasons Mary would have chosen to leave. However, the timeline of her departure and the outbreak does align. By June of 1902, 33-year-old Mary Mallon was cooking in Dark Harbor, Maine, at the luxurious summer residence of New York lawyer J. Coleman Drayton and his family.

The Drayton family was looking forward to spending an enjoyable summer together in Dark Harbor, a common destination for wealthy families from New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. But tragedy dealt them a heavy blow.

The Drayton family was looking forward to spending an enjoyable summer together in Dark Harbor, a common destination for wealthy families from New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. But tragedy dealt them a heavy blow.

In rapid succession, five of the household servants and four members of Coleman Drayton's family came down with, you guessed it, typhoid fever, all while Mary Mallon was cooking for them. Only Mary herself and Coleman Drayton were left unscathed. He asked Mary to stay on to nurse the sick. Maybe it was out of survivor's guilt that Mary agreed.

In rapid succession, five of the household servants and four members of Coleman Drayton's family came down with, you guessed it, typhoid fever, all while Mary Mallon was cooking for them. Only Mary herself and Coleman Drayton were left unscathed. He asked Mary to stay on to nurse the sick. Maybe it was out of survivor's guilt that Mary agreed.

Certainly, she was well compensated for her additional responsibilities. In this small but meaningful way, Mary benefited from this particular typhoid outbreak. In the case of the Drayton family in Dark Harbor, it was concluded that the sickness had started with their footman. This seemed obvious because he was the first one to have come down with the disease.

Certainly, she was well compensated for her additional responsibilities. In this small but meaningful way, Mary benefited from this particular typhoid outbreak. In the case of the Drayton family in Dark Harbor, it was concluded that the sickness had started with their footman. This seemed obvious because he was the first one to have come down with the disease.

What we don't know is whether Mary noticed a morbid trend following her. Sure, some things weren't adding up in the equations, but she was the common denominator. And what made this situation even more confusing and frightening was that typhoid fever was apparently considered a working class disease back then. The working poor were usually crammed into congested and unsanitary living situations,

What we don't know is whether Mary noticed a morbid trend following her. Sure, some things weren't adding up in the equations, but she was the common denominator. And what made this situation even more confusing and frightening was that typhoid fever was apparently considered a working class disease back then. The working poor were usually crammed into congested and unsanitary living situations,

With no room to quarantine their sick, they easily transmitted typhoid and other illnesses among themselves. So it was quite unusual for this so-called working-class disease to find a home in the ritzy, remote, seasonal escapes of New York City's most elite families. But maybe this next one would be different.

With no room to quarantine their sick, they easily transmitted typhoid and other illnesses among themselves. So it was quite unusual for this so-called working-class disease to find a home in the ritzy, remote, seasonal escapes of New York City's most elite families. But maybe this next one would be different.