Epidemic Infectious Disease: Smallpox And Typhoid

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5. Epidemic Infectious Disease: Smallpox and Typhoid Krutika Gandhi SSC 495 B Evolution of the Health Professions: Historical and Public Policy Perspectives on Health and Illness Professor Jennifer Tebbe October 22, 2014 Word Count 880 There have been many infectious diseases that have been found throughout the history of mankind. These epidemics are a universal problem that draws worldwide attention. At the turn of the 20th century, there were two infectious disease epidemics, smallpox and typhoid, that had created a major impact in the United States. Smallpox and typhoid were prominent…show more content…
Likewise, during the 20th century, when health officials have found victims of typhoid, they offered them related treatments and instead of isolating from the community, they respected their freedom and suggest them to avoid contact with others so they can stop transmitting typhoid to others. ---------In the event of an infectious emergency, most of the time the public health system is successful in controlling the situation, but in some cases they do fail as well. In 1947, a free mass vaccination effort was authorized by the New York City Health Department, which resulted in a lower mortality rate in New York City. In “‘BE SAFE.BE SURE.’: New York City’s Experience with Epidemic Smallpox”, Judith Walzer Leavitt explains, “ the Board of Health had learned to value citizen cooperation and to seek it in broadly acceptable ways, largely through publicity and convincing arguments” (415). The public health officials had spread the awareness about smallpox vaccination in New…show more content…
As a result, they fail to resolve infectious outbreaks. On one hand, we succeed to eradicate smallpox from the nation, yet on the other hand typhoid became a crucial issue for public health and typhoid carriers. Mary Mallon was the first typhoid carrier found in New York. In “‘Typhoid Mary’ Strikes Back”, Judith Walzer Leavitt mention, “Mallon’s social class also became a subject of discussion, affecting her isolation” (566). Mary was a middle-aged Irish immigrant woman and a cook. Her social class, gender, and role in society isolated her from the normal society. Mary Mallon also denied to accept herself as a healthy carrier of typhoid and fought against the health officials. This was also a main reason for her isolation. In the case of Mary Mallon, public health officials failed to protect her basic needs, human rights and freedom to live freely in the society. - ---------An infectious disease outbreak plays a major role in the history of medicines that caused destruction. Nevertheless, in the 20th century, scientific
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