Do You Remember Polio?

sunala · ‎03-09-2010

I'm reading the new Philip Roth book, and it takes place in Newark, New Jersey during the summer of 1944 when polio ran rampant.

In the mid 1950's I remember getting polio shots in school, which if I recall were quite painful. They were given in the auditorium in front of all the other children, and nobody wanted to cry but we all did anyway.

I wasn't allowed to go under the sprinklers in the park, nor did we go to the public pool, where it was thought that you could catch polio.

I never knew anyone who was in an iron lung, but I did have friends in school who had polio and ended up walking with limps. One friend used crutches. It was a very scary time.

Do you remember polio, and did it affect you in any way?

"That's a great first pancake."
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redhead65 · ‎05-16-2015

Polio is not a thing of the past, it is still around. Countries that don't get the vaccine still get it.

I remember it very well, but I got the little sugar cube at my school, no shot.

However, my only married Aunt contracted polio in high school while swimming in a local lake with her boyfriend and classmates. Thirty years later she gave birth to her only child by C-section. She couldn't feel the pregnancy or delivery. I never saw her walk "normal" . She could barely walk, dragging her paralyzed leg a bit behind her, always having to hold on to someone or something. she suffered, but was extremely brave and never complained once.

I admired her all of my life.

Dell1 · ‎03-09-2010

I had a cousin who had polio. She was born in 1949 while I was born in 1951. I always wondered why she got polio and I did not. She spent many months each year away at Shriner's Hospitals and had multiple surgeries. She told me years later that she felt abused and abandoned by her parents. Not abuse like we think of now. But when she was taken to her room her parents were not allowed to go with her. She stated that there were rooms of cribs with small children and they were all crying for their parents. She is now deceased but dealt with Post Polio Syndrome.

gloriajean · ‎03-10-2010

In 1949 I got Polio in my throat. It's called Balber Polio. I was in the oxygen tent five days - only getting vein feedings because I could not eat or drink, my throat was so filled with mucus, I had to have my bed slanted that my head was more down, and they used a tube to vacuum out the mucus. How I hated that! I was nine and remember all this very well. I was in a hospital that had only polio patients, and visiters could only visit through the window, but I was lucky. I was only in the hospital 5 weeks, missed a lot of school as I got it on labor day, and started school that year in January. My only after effect is my cough when I get a cold, It's hard for me to cough normally. My cousin at the same time got it in her leg and her leg was much skinnier than the other one, she was on crutches for a while, but later she just walked with a limp. My roommate at the hospital was paralized from her waste down. My sister postponed her wedding in September because I was supposed to be her junior bridesmaid, she set it for October 15th, and I got out of the hospital October 13 and I was her junior bridesmaid! I remember that too! The Wedding reception was at the farm and I had to take a nap, orders from the doctors to have a rest every afternoon which is why I couldn't go to school until January when that was lifted. I wasn't allowed to ride my bike either until months after. Ok - I said enough! There were no vaccines then. I have had no post polio stuff - I'm fine and I'm 75.

I am still oxox · ‎03-09-2010

I am too young (60) to have it affect me directly, the Salk and Sabin vaccines came about in the late 50's early 60's and we were given them in elementary school.

Sunny what is the name of the book,it sound like a good "Summer book"

@sunala wrote:
I'm reading the new Philip Roth book, and it takes place in Newark, New Jersey during the summer of 1944 when polio ran rampant.
In the mid 1950's I remember getting polio shots in school, which if I recall were quite painful. They were given in the auditorium in front of all the other children, and nobody wanted to cry but we all did anyway.
I wasn't allowed to go under the sprinklers in the park, nor did we go to the public pool, where it was thought that you could catch polio.
I never knew anyone who was in an iron lung, but I did have friends in school who had polio and ended up walking with limps. One friend used crutches. It was a very scary time.
Do you remember polio, and did it affect you in any way?
Sunny

Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and start being positive what could go right.

Judaline · ‎03-10-2010

@gloriajean wrote:
In 1949 I got Polio in my throat. It's called Balber Polio. I was in the oxygen tent five days - only getting vein feedings because I could not eat or drink, my throat was so filled with mucus, I had to have my bed slanted that my head was more down, and they used a tube to vacuum out the mucus. How I hated that! I was nine and remember all this very well. I was in a hospital that had only polio patients, and visiters could only visit through the window, but I was lucky. I was only in the hospital 5 weeks, missed a lot of school as I got it on labor day, and started school that year in January. My only after effect is my cough when I get a cold, It's hard for me to cough normally. My cousin at the same time got it in her leg and her leg was much skinnier than the other one, she was on crutches for a while, but later she just walked with a limp. My roommate at the hospital was paralized from her waste down. My sister postponed her wedding in September because I was supposed to be her junior bridesmaid, she set it for October 15th, and I got out of the hospital October 13 and I was her junior bridesmaid! I remember that too! The Wedding reception was at the farm and I had to take a nap, orders from the doctors to have a rest every afternoon which is why I couldn't go to school until January when that was lifted. I wasn't allowed to ride my bike either until months after. Ok - I said enough! There were no vaccines then. I have had no post polio stuff - I'm fine and I'm 75.

How awful! I remember my parents being afraid we might get it. Did they EVER find out what was causing it and if all of our precautions made sense? Like swimming in a public pool, etc?

I saw a documentary on PBS about a ballet dancer who contracted polio. All she ever wanted to do was dance-she was good, too. A very sad story but it has stuck with me. Her name is Tanaquil Le Clercq and I think the docu was, A Fallen Fawn or something like that.

Of course we all think of FDR. They say he was always in pain and gave speeches with hidden things that helped him stand, and would never let himself be helped until the crowd couldn't see. I guess he thought the people would be worried if they knew just how incapacitated he was.

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

I do and we had to get all those shots. I'd rather the shots any day vs. the disease! Mostly remember sugar cube, but I think President Roosevelt had it.

lovescats · ‎03-10-2010

I remember getting the polio shot and then later when the sugar cube came out our school had everyone get that too.

violann · ‎03-10-2010

Very interesting thread. I never learned to swm because I was never allowed near public pools.
The connection with "swimmng" is not cause/effect, but the transmission of the virus as well as the intense exercise of swimming are related to the outbreaks in NJ in the 1940's.
The Victoria Foundation opened a hospital/sanitarium near wear I lived, and as a 3rd grade Brownie I was part of a group that was taken to sing for the patients.
We had to stand outside a window because this was JUST before the Salk vaccine was released for general use.
I THINK it was the Salk vaccine that was administered on the sugar cube, and was replaced by the Sabin vaccine, which was an innoculation.
Although the epidemic was intense in our area, I never actually knew anyone who had recovered from the disease.
It is rather amazing that the percentage of victms of the paralytic form was relatively low, but tragically, the most seriously damaged.
Bulbar Polio was considered VERY serious gloriajean. It is a Blessing to us that you are here!

tansy · ‎01-02-2011

I remember being in a school auditorium with my parents and being delighted to be given a little white cup with a pink-tinged sugar cube to eat. I would hear stories about kids a few years older than me having polio and maybe being in an iron lung.

What a horrid experience, gloriajean. I didn't realize polio could just affect the throat.