Typhoid Mary
/ˌtaɪfɔɪd ˈmeəri/
/ˌtaɪfɔɪd ˈmeri/
- (1868-1938) the nickname given to Mary Mallon, the first person known to carry typhoid fever (= a serious disease caused by infected food or water) in the US (though she did not have symptoms of the disease herself). She was an Irish woman who settled in New York City where she worked as a cook, and is believed to have infected many people between 1900 and 1915. She refused treatment and was then kept in confinement in hospital for the rest of her life. Americans call somebody Typhoid Mary in a humorous way if they think they should be avoided because they bring bad luck or are dangerous in some way.
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Typhoid Mary