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Downtown 1958

Downtown 1958

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

The Tale of Peter Grossman


 April 10, 1894, Neenah Daily Times

April 12, 1894, Appleton Post

April 14, 1894, Saturday Evening Press

April 21, 1894, Saturday Evening Press

May 2, 1894, Oshkosh Northwestern

May 3, 1894, Appleton Post

June 2, 1894, Saturday Evening Press

July 19, 1894, Appleton Post

August 25, 1894, Saturday Evening Press

As detailed here last week in the smallpox scare of 1895 in Menasha, today brings the fuller story of what that article was talking about.  Evidently, Mr. Grossman put his political ambitions far ahead of any public safety, to include the safety of his own family and child as well.  Sadly, his son lost the battle with the disease and Mr. Grossman became as detested as the later pariah,Typhoid Mary, who didn't become a dubious celebrity until the early 1900's. It is not sure what became of the Grossman family once they fled Menasha. 

As for Typhoid Mary, she was originally released from quarantine once she had promised to never cook again for large groups of people.  But she broke that vow and resumed work as a cook within five years of her first release.  As a result, more people were infected, the health authorities traced it back to her, and she was exiled to a New York hospital for the remainder of her life, 23 years.

1 comment:

  1. Dr. Reeve was the surgeon for the 21st Wisconsin regiment.

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