The Epidemic

The Epidemic recounts the harrowing story of one of America’s deadliest typhoid outbreaks in Ithaca, NY, in 1903, which caused widespread suffering and death, especially among Cornell students. The book explores the origins of the epidemic, linked to a decision to build a dam and reservoir that introduced contaminated water, and highlights the efforts of the community and students to combat the crisis. Written as a nonfiction medical thriller, the story also reflects on the medical practices of the time and the broader fight against a global killer on the cusp of modern water treatment and antibiotics.