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This Haunted Island In New York City Has A History That Will Make You Shiver
North Brother Island is a 13-acre piece of land located in the East River, a couple of miles away from Manhattan, New York. This island bears the remains of its fascinating, yet tragic history.
North Brother was first inhabited when Riverside Hospital was relocated to the island. The purpose of the hospital was to treat and isolate the sufferers of contagious diseases. The very first residents of the island were victims of illnesses such as smallpox, tuberculosis, yellow fever, and typhus. The most notorious resident was, of course, Mary Mallon, better known as Typhoid Mary. Mary was the first documented person in the USA to be identified as an asymptomatic carrier of the bacteria that causes typhoid fever. The woman, who is believed to have infected more than 50 people, 3 of whom died, always denied being a carrier. She was forcefully incarcerated in the island’s hospital for nearly three decades until she died. Even though the woman spent her last days thinking she was innocent, it was proven that Mary’s delicious desserts took part in spreading the disease, find out more in the video.
Another incident related to the island claimed a lot more lives than poor Mary. In 1904 residents of an island witnessed the deaths of more than 1,000 people. Watch the video below to learn more about the mysterious history left behind on this tragic place. Don’t forget to subscribe to Bored Panda YouTube channel.
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North Brother Island is a 13-acre piece of land located in the East River, a couple of miles away from Manhattan, New York
Image credits: reivax
North Brother was first inhabited when Riverside Hospital was relocated to the island
Image credits: Google Earth
The purpose of the hospital was to treat and isolate the sufferers of contagious diseases
Image credits: Jonathan Haeber
Some of the patients were held against their will
(c) Ian Ference of the Kingston Lounge, used with permission ianference.smugmug.com
The most notorious patient was, of course, Mary Mallon, better known as Typhoid Mary
Mary worked as a cook for many families in New York and they’d quickly become ill after eating her food
Without knowing Mary has infected more than 50 people, 3 of whom died
Her ultimate downfall was her favorite dessert, ice cream with raw peaches
While Mallon refused to believe that she was the problem, public health authorities quarantined her against her will
Typhoid Mary’s fate was tragic, yet it wasn’t the only tragedy on the island as in 1904 a steamboat ‘General Slocum’ sank and took over 1000 lives
Watch the video below to learn more about Typhoid Mary and other haunting stories about the North Brother Island
Subscribe to Bored Panda YouTube channel for more videos!
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What do you think ?
makenzie stephenson 6 years ago
It went into all the food one day, food one day, food one day, it went into all the food one day and infected everyone served...
Load More Replies...
Christine Blackburne-Kowal 6 years ago
Okay, one MAJORLY important point that is missed here, they did eventually release her with the condition that she no longer work as a cook. THEN SHE WENT BACK TO BEING A COOK AND KILLED MORE PEOPLE!!! Listen to this awesome podcast by Radio Lab. Great story https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/169879-patient-zero/
Crazy Cow Lady 6 years ago
We also don't really know how many people she actually made sick since she evaded the health officials by constantly relocating and changing her name.
Load More Replies...
Jennifer C. 6 years ago
So much history of our country on that one little island. Why not renovate it and open to the public as a museum? I believe that's been successfully done with the Alcatraz prison...
Crazy Cow Lady 6 years ago
It's a bird sanctuary now, and has the largest population of Black-Crowned Night Herons
Load More Replies...
Stephanie Chapman 6 years ago
Read Christine's statement below! Typhoid Mary was a carrier of typhoid without presenting any symptoms herself. However the typhoid within her killed people at job 1, she was found to be the carrier of the disease and was asked to stop being a cook. Anything but that. They tried to explain her condition, but she wouldn't listen and she wouldn't let them remove her gallbladder which would stop her from being a carrier. She was offered job training in other areas. She became a cook again and killed more people. over 50 people got typhoid because of her. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3959940/
Alida Saxon 6 years ago
It's a good example of how medical ignorance and stubbornness can kill. Reminds me of the current vaccination crisis.
Load More Replies...
nanashi 6 years ago
I'm always sad for Thyphoid Mary whenever I see her story came up again. She didn't chose to be a carrier, after all. but then again, even when evidence was clear showing she's killing people if working with food, she still choses to stay in that line of work (which I understand she can't help with it if that's the only thing you're capable of doing, you really have no choice).
Hayley Lightcap 6 years ago
In some ways it's hard to have sympathy for her. If she didn't see the connection between everyone she cooked for getting typhoid when it was 50 people there must be something wrong upstairs.
Load More Replies...
Tiffany Zhu 6 years ago
I've never heard of that disease so I looked it up. Turns out, the bacteria that she carries is very rare, and can easily and quickly be transmitted through contaminated food and drinks. Meaning, that any food Mary made would contain this bacteria that could potentially kill someone.
A Ghost 6 years ago
There's a great book about her, I think it's called "The worlds deadliest chef". I might be wrong. She's a bit terrifying.
Aunt Messy 6 years ago
Anthony Bourdain also wrote a book about her. It's a great read.
Load More Replies...
Melody Lanzatella 6 years ago
Its ridiculous! All of that NEEDS to be torn down and the island re-purposed! It is positively ridiculous to have that prime property sit unused!
William Teach 6 years ago
Well, yeah, some were held against their will. Probably most. Because they were kinda dangerous to the general population. Anyhow, can you imagine the property value if the island was cleaned up and stuff?
M.J. J. 6 years ago
Is that a crematorium tower/chimney on the island? how depressing for the patients..
Magpie 6 years ago
Edit: any food not *properly* cooked after prep. And any cooked food that is then put on the uncleaned surface where the raw food was.
Magpie 6 years ago
This is about the time modern hygiene and plumbing became a good thing.
Load More Replies... 
Doc Thissen 6 years ago
This story was covered in extensive detail in the book "Get Well Soon, History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes who Fought Them" by Jennifer Wright. Time well spent reading, (or listening)!
makenzie stephenson 6 years ago
It went into all the food one day, food one day, food one day, it went into all the food one day and infected everyone served...
Load More Replies... Christine Blackburne-Kowal 6 years ago
Okay, one MAJORLY important point that is missed here, they did eventually release her with the condition that she no longer work as a cook. THEN SHE WENT BACK TO BEING A COOK AND KILLED MORE PEOPLE!!! Listen to this awesome podcast by Radio Lab. Great story https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/169879-patient-zero/
Crazy Cow Lady 6 years ago
We also don't really know how many people she actually made sick since she evaded the health officials by constantly relocating and changing her name.
Load More Replies... Jennifer C. 6 years ago
So much history of our country on that one little island. Why not renovate it and open to the public as a museum? I believe that's been successfully done with the Alcatraz prison...
Crazy Cow Lady 6 years ago
It's a bird sanctuary now, and has the largest population of Black-Crowned Night Herons
Load More Replies... Stephanie Chapman 6 years ago
Read Christine's statement below! Typhoid Mary was a carrier of typhoid without presenting any symptoms herself. However the typhoid within her killed people at job 1, she was found to be the carrier of the disease and was asked to stop being a cook. Anything but that. They tried to explain her condition, but she wouldn't listen and she wouldn't let them remove her gallbladder which would stop her from being a carrier. She was offered job training in other areas. She became a cook again and killed more people. over 50 people got typhoid because of her. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3959940/
Alida Saxon 6 years ago
It's a good example of how medical ignorance and stubbornness can kill. Reminds me of the current vaccination crisis.
Load More Replies... nanashi 6 years ago
I'm always sad for Thyphoid Mary whenever I see her story came up again. She didn't chose to be a carrier, after all. but then again, even when evidence was clear showing she's killing people if working with food, she still choses to stay in that line of work (which I understand she can't help with it if that's the only thing you're capable of doing, you really have no choice).
Hayley Lightcap 6 years ago
In some ways it's hard to have sympathy for her. If she didn't see the connection between everyone she cooked for getting typhoid when it was 50 people there must be something wrong upstairs.
Load More Replies... Tiffany Zhu 6 years ago
I've never heard of that disease so I looked it up. Turns out, the bacteria that she carries is very rare, and can easily and quickly be transmitted through contaminated food and drinks. Meaning, that any food Mary made would contain this bacteria that could potentially kill someone.
A Ghost 6 years ago
There's a great book about her, I think it's called "The worlds deadliest chef". I might be wrong. She's a bit terrifying.
Aunt Messy 6 years ago
Anthony Bourdain also wrote a book about her. It's a great read.
Load More Replies... Melody Lanzatella 6 years ago
Its ridiculous! All of that NEEDS to be torn down and the island re-purposed! It is positively ridiculous to have that prime property sit unused!
William Teach 6 years ago
Well, yeah, some were held against their will. Probably most. Because they were kinda dangerous to the general population. Anyhow, can you imagine the property value if the island was cleaned up and stuff?
M.J. J. 6 years ago
Is that a crematorium tower/chimney on the island? how depressing for the patients..
Magpie 6 years ago
Edit: any food not *properly* cooked after prep. And any cooked food that is then put on the uncleaned surface where the raw food was.
Magpie 6 years ago
This is about the time modern hygiene and plumbing became a good thing.
Load More Replies... Doc Thissen 6 years ago
This story was covered in extensive detail in the book "Get Well Soon, History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes who Fought Them" by Jennifer Wright. Time well spent reading, (or listening)!
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