This 2022 episode covers the development of penicillin, which started – but definitely did not end – with the chance discovery of some mold in a petri dish.

 

This 2022 episode covers the development of penicillin, which started &ndash; but definitely did not end &ndash; with the chance discovery of some mold in a petri dish.
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Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio.

Stuff You Missed in History Class

Listen to this collection of top episodes from iHeartRadio and iHeartPodcasts. 

Listen to this collection of top episodes from iHeartRadio and iHeartPodcasts.&nbsp;

Podcasts from iHeartRadio

SYMHC Classics: Penicillin

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/356a333a-70f6-45ac-bb41-b4830156b3c6/transcript

Mary Mallon became known as Typhoid Mary in the early 20th century. She has often been vilified in in modern references, though her story is actually quite complex. 

Research:
"Mary Mallon." Encyclopedia of World Biography Online, vol. 21, Gale, 2001. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1631007781/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=23f34010. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.
Brooks, J. “The sad and tragic life of Typhoid Mary.” CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne vol. 154,6 (1996): 915-6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1487781/
Brooks, Janet. “The Sad and Tragic Life of Typhoid Mary.” Canadian Medical Association Journal. Vol. 154, No. 6. 3/15/1996.
Cutter, Laura. “Typhoid Mary/Mary Mallon: An Asymptomatic Carrier of Salmonella typhi.” National Museum of Health and Medicine. 6/18/2020. https://medicalmuseum.health.mil/micrograph/index.cfm/posts/2020/typhoid_mary_mary_mallon_salmonella
“Research Starter: Typhoid Mary.” https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/life-sciences/typhoid-mary
Faherty, Anna. “The cook who became a pariah.” Wellcome Collection. 6/29/2017. https://wellcomecollection.org/stories/WsT4Ex8AAHruGfW_
Leavitt, Judith Walzer. “‘Typhoid Mary’ Strikes Back: Bacteriological Theory and Practice in Early Twentieth-Century Public Health.” Isis , Dec., 1992, Vol. 83, No. 4 (Dec., 1992). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/234261
Leavitt, Judith Walzer. "Typhoid Mary: Captive to the Public Health." Beacon Press. 1997. 
Mallon, Mary. Letter to Dr. William H. Park. June 1909. Via PBS NOVA. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/typhoid/letter.html
Marineli, Filio et al. “Mary Mallon (1869-1938) and the history of typhoid fever.” Annals of gastroenterology vol. 26,2 (2013): 132-134. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3959940/
Mason, W.P. “Typhoid Mary.” Science. Vol. 30, No. 760. 7/23/1909. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1635174
Murtagh, Joseh. “David DeKok presents gripping, heartbreaking view into Ithaca’s 1903 typhoid outbreak.” Ithica.com. 4/11/2012. https://www.ithaca.com/visit_ithaca/david-dekok-presents-gripping-heartbreaking-view-into-ithaca-s-1903-typhoid-outbreak/article_943a556c-6b6d-11e0-92b9-001cc4c002e0.html
New York Times. “Hospital Epidemic from Typhoid Mary.” 3/28/1915.
New York Times. “HOSPITAL EPIDEMIC FROM TYPHOID MARY; Germ Carrier, Cooking Under False Name, Spread Disease in Sloane Institution. CAUGHT HIDING IN QUEENS Blamed for Twenty-five Cases of Fever Among Doctors and Nurses -- Now In Quarantine.” 2/28/1915. https://www.nytimes.com/1915/03/28/archives/hospital-epidemic-from-typhoid-mary-germ-carrier-cooking-under.html?eafs_enabled=false
Ogan, ML. “Immunization in a Typhoid Outbreak in the Sloane Hospital for Women.” New York Medical Journal. 3/27/1915. 609-610.
Othman, Amani and William W. Darrow. “The Wall, the Ban, and the Objectification of Women.” The International Journal of Social Quality, Winter 2019, Vol. 9, No. 2 (Winter 2019). https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26948452
Poczai P and Karvalics LZ (2022) The little-known history of cleanliness and the forgotten pioneers of handwashing. Front. Public Health 10:979464. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.979464
Prabhu, Maya. “The tragedy of Typhoid Mary.” Gavi. 6/18/2021. https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/tragedy-typhoid-mary
Pusey, Allen. “Precedents.” ABA Journal. Vol. 104, No. 3. March 2018. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26516280
Sawyer, Wilbur. “The Efficiency of Various Anti-Typhoid Vaccines.” Journal of the American Medical Association. Vol. LXV, No. 17. 10/13/2015.
Soper, G A. “The Curious Career of Typhoid Mary.” Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine vol. 15,10 (1939): 698-712. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1911442/
Soper, George A. “The Curious Career of Typhoid Mary.” Read May 10, 1939 before the Section of Historical and Cultural Medicine. Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine. Vol. 15, No. 10. October 1939. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1911442/
Soper, George A. “Typhoid Mary.” The Military Surgeon. Vol. XLV. No. 1. July 1919.
Soper, George. A. “The Work of a Chronic Typhoid Germ Distributor.” Journal of the American Medical Association. Vol. XLVIII. No. 24. 6/15/1907.
Teicher, Amir. “Typhoid Mary Was Not a Super-Spreader (and Super-Spreaders Are Not "Typhoid Marys").” American journal of public health vol. 113,12 (2023): 1249-1253. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2023.307434

Mary Mallon became known as Typhoid Mary in the early 20th century. She has often been vilified in in modern references, though her story is actually quite complex.&nbsp;
Research:
<ul>
<li>"Mary Mallon." Encyclopedia of World Biography Online, vol. 21, Gale, 2001. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1631007781/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&amp;sid=bookmark-GPS&amp;xid=23f34010. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.</li>
<li>Brooks, J. &ldquo;The sad and tragic life of Typhoid Mary.&rdquo; CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne vol. 154,6 (1996): 915-6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1487781/</li>
<li>Brooks, Janet. &ldquo;The Sad and Tragic Life of Typhoid Mary.&rdquo; Canadian Medical Association Journal. Vol. 154, No. 6. 3/15/1996.</li>
<li>Cutter, Laura. &ldquo;Typhoid Mary/Mary Mallon: An Asymptomatic Carrier of Salmonella typhi.&rdquo; National Museum of Health and Medicine. 6/18/2020. https://medicalmuseum.health.mil/micrograph/index.cfm/posts/2020/typhoid_mary_mary_mallon_salmonella</li>
<li>&ldquo;Research Starter: Typhoid Mary.&rdquo; https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/life-sciences/typhoid-mary</li>
<li>Faherty, Anna. &ldquo;The cook who became a pariah.&rdquo; Wellcome Collection. 6/29/2017. https://wellcomecollection.org/stories/WsT4Ex8AAHruGfW_</li>
<li>Leavitt, Judith Walzer. &ldquo;&lsquo;Typhoid Mary&rsquo; Strikes Back: Bacteriological Theory and Practice in Early Twentieth-Century Public Health.&rdquo; Isis , Dec., 1992, Vol. 83, No. 4 (Dec., 1992). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/234261</li>
<li>Leavitt, Judith Walzer. "Typhoid Mary: Captive to the Public Health." Beacon Press. 1997.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Mallon, Mary. Letter to Dr. William H. Park. June 1909. Via PBS NOVA. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/typhoid/letter.html</li>
<li>Marineli, Filio et al. &ldquo;Mary Mallon (1869-1938) and the history of typhoid fever.&rdquo; Annals of gastroenterology vol. 26,2 (2013): 132-134. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3959940/</li>
<li>Mason, W.P. &ldquo;Typhoid Mary.&rdquo; Science. Vol. 30, No. 760. 7/23/1909. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1635174</li>
<li>Murtagh, Joseh. &ldquo;David DeKok presents gripping, heartbreaking view into Ithaca&rsquo;s 1903 typhoid outbreak.&rdquo; Ithica.com. 4/11/2012. https://www.ithaca.com/visit_ithaca/david-dekok-presents-gripping-heartbreaking-view-into-ithaca-s-1903-typhoid-outbreak/article_943a556c-6b6d-11e0-92b9-001cc4c002e0.html</li>
<li>New York Times. &ldquo;Hospital Epidemic from Typhoid Mary.&rdquo; 3/28/1915.</li>
<li>New York Times. &ldquo;HOSPITAL EPIDEMIC FROM TYPHOID MARY; Germ Carrier, Cooking Under False Name, Spread Disease in Sloane Institution. CAUGHT HIDING IN QUEENS Blamed for Twenty-five Cases of Fever Among Doctors and Nurses -- Now In Quarantine.&rdquo; 2/28/1915. https://www.nytimes.com/1915/03/28/archives/hospital-epidemic-from-typhoid-mary-germ-carrier-cooking-under.html?eafs_enabled=false</li>
<li>Ogan, ML. &ldquo;Immunization in a Typhoid Outbreak in the Sloane Hospital for Women.&rdquo; New York Medical Journal. 3/27/1915. 609-610.</li>
<li>Othman, Amani and William W. Darrow. &ldquo;The Wall, the Ban, and the Objectification of Women.&rdquo; The International Journal of Social Quality, Winter 2019, Vol. 9, No. 2 (Winter 2019). https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26948452</li>
<li>Poczai P and Karvalics LZ (2022) The little-known history of cleanliness and the forgotten pioneers of handwashing. Front. Public Health 10:979464. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.979464</li>
<li>Prabhu, Maya. &ldquo;The tragedy of Typhoid Mary.&rdquo; Gavi. 6/18/2021. https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/tragedy-typhoid-mary</li>
<li>Pusey, Allen. &ldquo;Precedents.&rdquo; ABA Journal. Vol. 104, No. 3. March 2018. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26516280</li>
<li>Sawyer, Wilbur. &ldquo;The Efficiency of Various Anti-Typhoid Vaccines.&rdquo; Journal of the American Medical Association. Vol. LXV, No. 17. 10/13/2015.</li>
<li>Soper, G A. &ldquo;The Curious Career of Typhoid Mary.&rdquo; Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine vol. 15,10 (1939): 698-712. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1911442/</li>
<li>Soper, George A. &ldquo;The Curious Career of Typhoid Mary.&rdquo; Read May 10, 1939 before the Section of Historical and Cultural Medicine. Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine. Vol. 15, No. 10. October 1939. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1911442/</li>
<li>Soper, George A. &ldquo;Typhoid Mary.&rdquo; The Military Surgeon. Vol. XLV. No. 1. July 1919.</li>
<li>Soper, George. A. &ldquo;The Work of a Chronic Typhoid Germ Distributor.&rdquo; Journal of the American Medical Association. Vol. XLVIII. No. 24. 6/15/1907.</li>
<li>Teicher, Amir. &ldquo;Typhoid Mary Was Not a Super-Spreader (and Super-Spreaders Are Not "Typhoid Marys").&rdquo; American journal of public health vol. 113,12 (2023): 1249-1253. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2023.307434</li>
</ul>

Mary Mallon became known as Typhoid Mary in the early 20th century. She has often been vilified in in modern references, though her story is actually quite complex. 

Mary Mallon & Typhoid Revisited

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/86d288c6-ad96-4a54-b800-b4ad004f6357/transcript

This 2022 episode examines the development of a systematic approach to food safety, which didn’t happen until the 20th century. And it's tied directly to NASA trying to make sure astronauts didn’t get food poisoning in space.

This 2022 episode examines the development of a systematic approach to food safety, which didn&rsquo;t happen until the 20th century. And it's tied directly to NASA trying to make sure astronauts didn&rsquo;t get food poisoning in space.

SYMHC Classics: Astronaut Origins of Food Safety

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c5d8a8ac-5d66-4bca-aedc-b4ad002e5aa7/transcript

Tracy and Holly talk about their time visiting Chefchaouen during their Morocco trip. Holly shares her belief that secret societies don't work very well. 

Tracy and Holly talk about their time visiting Chefchaouen during their Morocco trip. Holly shares her belief that secret societies don't work very well.&nbsp;

Behind the Scenes Minis: Morocco and Bavaria

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/bcb4e016-881b-40d1-9f25-b4aa0158e710/transcript

SYMHC Classics: Penicillin

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