Vanessa Richardson

In 1906, 37-year-old Mary Mallon went to Long Island to cook for prosperous New York banker Charles Henry Warren at the Warrens' summer residence in Oyster Bay. It started out an idyllic summer for the Warrens and their cook. Every night, the Warren family gathered for dinner. Seated together around the table, they would happily recount anecdotes from their long days, leisurely spent.

In 1906, 37-year-old Mary Mallon went to Long Island to cook for prosperous New York banker Charles Henry Warren at the Warrens' summer residence in Oyster Bay. It started out an idyllic summer for the Warrens and their cook. Every night, the Warren family gathered for dinner. Seated together around the table, they would happily recount anecdotes from their long days, leisurely spent.

And the main course? Every night, another home run of a meal by Mary. And even better than these unbeatable entrees was the dessert. The Warren children clapped their hands as Mary plated out scoops of the sweetest vanilla ice cream they'd ever put a spoon to, on top of which sat handfuls of sliced peaches. Plump, juicy, and sunset pink, they glimmered in the fading light like jewels.

And the main course? Every night, another home run of a meal by Mary. And even better than these unbeatable entrees was the dessert. The Warren children clapped their hands as Mary plated out scoops of the sweetest vanilla ice cream they'd ever put a spoon to, on top of which sat handfuls of sliced peaches. Plump, juicy, and sunset pink, they glimmered in the fading light like jewels.

The children, already drawn to Mary's jolly demeanor, simply adored their cook, almost as much as they loved her desserts. But this was actually quite a peaceful time for Mary. Surely the grim specter of typhoid fever was finished with her. She began to feel little of that hope she had discovered when she first started doing the work she loved.

The children, already drawn to Mary's jolly demeanor, simply adored their cook, almost as much as they loved her desserts. But this was actually quite a peaceful time for Mary. Surely the grim specter of typhoid fever was finished with her. She began to feel little of that hope she had discovered when she first started doing the work she loved.

But regardless of whether typhoid was finished with her, it was just getting started with the Warrens. To Mary's dismay, by the end of that summer, six members of the household had come down with typhoid fever. By now, it's clear to us that a dark shadow is following Mary Mallon. We can see its sickly fingers threading these segments of her life together and slowly, slowly tightening the knot.

But regardless of whether typhoid was finished with her, it was just getting started with the Warrens. To Mary's dismay, by the end of that summer, six members of the household had come down with typhoid fever. By now, it's clear to us that a dark shadow is following Mary Mallon. We can see its sickly fingers threading these segments of her life together and slowly, slowly tightening the knot.

Mary could see it too, couldn't she? Or was Mary the one pulling the strings? By 1906, 37-year-old Mary Mallon had infected some two dozen New Yorkers with typhoid fever. And as that number grew, this lethal trend got harder and harder to ignore. See, Mary worked as a cook in the summer homes of New York City's most elite families.

Mary could see it too, couldn't she? Or was Mary the one pulling the strings? By 1906, 37-year-old Mary Mallon had infected some two dozen New Yorkers with typhoid fever. And as that number grew, this lethal trend got harder and harder to ignore. See, Mary worked as a cook in the summer homes of New York City's most elite families.

But at the time, typhoid was still considered by many to be a working-class disease. So why was typhoid suddenly surging among these well-to-do families? Unsettled, they started asking questions. And a man named George Soper was going to find the answers. Soper was a sanitation engineer, a man of science.

But at the time, typhoid was still considered by many to be a working-class disease. So why was typhoid suddenly surging among these well-to-do families? Unsettled, they started asking questions. And a man named George Soper was going to find the answers. Soper was a sanitation engineer, a man of science.

After their typhoid outbreak, the Warren family commissioned him to investigate what could have possibly gone wrong. In 1907, so-called germ theory was a relatively new concept to science. But new though it was, it provided scientists with both confidence and relief.

After their typhoid outbreak, the Warren family commissioned him to investigate what could have possibly gone wrong. In 1907, so-called germ theory was a relatively new concept to science. But new though it was, it provided scientists with both confidence and relief.

A growing amount of evidence supported their work, and they were relieved to have something to blame for many of the epidemics ravaging the world in recent memory. The discovery of tiny organisms called microbes gave scientists a culprit they could see, touch, and name. However, despite the optimism germ theory inspired, it was still a surprising idea.

A growing amount of evidence supported their work, and they were relieved to have something to blame for many of the epidemics ravaging the world in recent memory. The discovery of tiny organisms called microbes gave scientists a culprit they could see, touch, and name. However, despite the optimism germ theory inspired, it was still a surprising idea.

Before microbes, scientists most often traced diseases to polluted air called miasmas. Bad air was how your average American citizen would say most people got sick. At that time, routine handwashing hadn't yet come into vogue, even after using the bathroom. There was only so much soap and water could do to defend against those miasmas that most people thought caused sickness.

Before microbes, scientists most often traced diseases to polluted air called miasmas. Bad air was how your average American citizen would say most people got sick. At that time, routine handwashing hadn't yet come into vogue, even after using the bathroom. There was only so much soap and water could do to defend against those miasmas that most people thought caused sickness.

So why waste your time with it? In 1907, the average American had probably not yet heard of germ theory. And if they had heard of it, they might find this new information so surprising, they just might start to think it was a little… unbelievable. But George Soper certainly believed in germ theory. He trusted science.

So why waste your time with it? In 1907, the average American had probably not yet heard of germ theory. And if they had heard of it, they might find this new information so surprising, they just might start to think it was a little… unbelievable. But George Soper certainly believed in germ theory. He trusted science.