#14: The Cause of Mary Ingall’s Blindness
Everyone knows the book “The Little House on the Prarie” written by author Laura Ingall Wilder. Even though she is the one who has the claim to fame, it is her sister Mary who gained a lot of attention for a medical condition. At age 14, her sister Mary went blind, which was thought to be caused by Scarlet fever as a child.
It wasn’t until many years later that researchers discovered that perhaps Scarlet fever wasn’t the reason for her blindness… Dr. Beth Tarini and her research team found a letter dated 1937 stating Mary had fallen ill with spinal sickness. Not only this but Mary had also suffered migraines and paralysis on one side of her face as a teenager… The researchers concluded that Scarlet fever wasn’t to blame for her blindness but rather viral meningoencephalitis, a disease that inflames the brain and spinal cord.