Mary Mallon was an Irish born cook in early 20th century New York.  She was the first know case of a healthy, non-symptomatic carrier of Typhoid in the United States and has since become known far and wide as Typhoid Mary.  What hides behind the trope is a story that begs the question of just how much authority should public health officials have when it comes to forcible quarantine and detention.  A topic very timely in today's pandemic backdrop.