How history remembers. How many people did Typhoid Mary kill? How many did Bush kill?

[Rider Haggard]

Typhoid Mary is only attributed to three deaths.

"Mary Mallon (September 23, 1869 – November 11, 1938), also known as Typhoid Mary, was the first person in the United States to be identified as a healthy carrier of typhoid fever. Over the course of her career as a cook, she is known to have infected 47 people, three of whom died from the disease. Her notoriety is in part due to her vehement denial of her own role in spreading the disease, together with her refusal to cease working as a cook. She was forcibly quarantined twice by public health authorities and died in quarantine. It is possible that she was born with the disease, as her mother had typhoid fever during her pregnancy." from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Mallon

Bush, on the other hand, is over 1.3 million.

I pray historians and memories are similar in the histories of Mary and George.

[Rhiannon12866]

1. K&R. Terrific comparison!

Also, though Mary certainly didn't behave responsibly, it was certainly not her fault that she contracted the disease. Bush*, on the other hand, was "the Decider..." :grr:

[Rider Haggard]

2. Thanks Rhiannon.

Are you familiar with the Mabinogian which is where I first saw your name along with Pwyl's name?

[Rhiannon12866]

7. No, I am not, though I certainly should be...

I'll look it up. Thanks! :hi:

All I know is that the original Rhiannon, of Stevie Nicks fame, was a Welsh witch. I've been to Wales, beautiful country, especially loved Llangollen, and Pwyl is definitely Welsh... ;)

Llangollen, Wales :loveya:

[Canuckistanian]

3. Similar irresponsibility

VASTLY different outcome (at least in terms of numbers of dead or injured)

Bush beats Mallon.

[Rider Haggard]

4. You're right.

and it's interesting how this post has gotten 1/4 the hits that a vanity post about my hair length has gotten. Damn shame and I didn't mean it to happen.

[Canuckistanian]

6. Ah, it's all right, you're learning

And welcome to DU!

You seem to fitting in nicely. But please don't quote me!

:fistbump:

[Rider Haggard]

5. Just because this is more important than hair threads.

Criminal prosecution for war crimes is more important.

Thank you, Mary.

[cali]

8. This is an absolutely ridiculous comparison

and not a historian who lives would make it.

[Thothmes]

9. While we are adding up unneccessary deaths

what was LBJ's total?

[Rhiannon12866]

10. Good point.

LBJ made a lot of mistakes, granted, and a lot more young Americans died in an unnecessary war on his watch. But LBJ also suffered over "his boys," and agonized over every decision. Bush* went on vacation... :grr:

[Thothmes]

11. LBJ lacked the moral courage to see through the program he

instituted in Vietnam to its conclusion. Instead, he refused to face the wrath Amercian electorate in 1968 and chose to slink back to his ranch in Texas.