6. The Wright Brothers and Typhoid Fever
Numerous outbreaks of typhoid fever occurred across the United States in the first two decades of the 20th century, and it still occurs with some frequency in the 21st. Poor hygiene is the primary cause of its spread, and it, like all outbreaks and contagions, thrives in crowded areas. In 1912, Wilbur Wright traveled to Boston, Massachusetts, on a business trip for the company founded by his brother and him, The Wright Company. While there he became ill, which he originally blamed on the consumption of a bad oyster. Wilbur remained in Boston until early May, at which time he felt well enough for the train trip back to Dayton, Ohio, where both brothers lived.
Once in Dayton he again became ill, and his doctor diagnosed typhoid fever. Wilbur died on May 30, 1912. Following his death, his younger brother Orville took over as President of the Wright Company, but Orville lacked the business acumen and physical stamina for the job. In 1915, Orville sold the company. In 1918, Orville made his last flight as a pilot, after which he retired from business and served as a consultant, and with various committees and boards serving the growth of aviation. Wilbur’s encounter with typhoid fever ended the successful partnership between the brothers who gave the world the first practical airplane.