Typhoid Mary: The Most Dangerous Woman in America

The notorious and tragic life of "Typhoid Mary" Mallon is thoroughly explored in this excellent episode from the PBS science series NOVA, an hour-long program that doubles as both a biographical profile and an account of the early years of bacteriology and the pioneering researchers who revolutionized the battle against disease in late-19th and early-20th century America. When bacteriologist George Soper discovered, in 1906, that an Irish immigrant cook named Mary Mallon was the source of a deadly outbreak of typhoid fever, he embarked on a detective mission to determine why Mallon herself was a carrier and not a victim, but was met with her steadfast and fiery refusal to cooperate, all of which makes for a riveting and well-told historical and scientific tale. Typhoid Mary's story offers a telling portrait of our relative ignorance regarding communicable diseases at the turn of the century, while expert testimonies included here demonstrate how far we've come in fighting disease in the age of SARS, HIV-AIDS, Ebola virus, and other deadly health threats. Must-see viewing for anyone with an interest in medicine or healthcare, this is easily recommended for general audiences as well. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Shannon)