THANK YOU, DR. JONAS SALK! - Page 2

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

I had a high school classmate who'd suffered through treatment in the dreaded iron lung. We didn't need much encouragement to avoid areas that might have carried the germ, and we needed less in our town to show up for the vaccine once it became available.

Dr. Salk was the hero of my childhood, for sure.

Perkup · ‎03-09-2010

Georgia was a frightening place for years due to polio outbreaks in several areas. My cousin who was raised like my brother contracted polio. He was hospitalized in an iron lung on his and my mutual birthday, August 6th. His right lung collapsed over his heart and he passed away on the 13h. I also lost another first cousin, and the young wife of another. It hit our family hard, but there were many others like us. When a vaccine was discovered, young adults and childfen lined up outside schools and public buildings to get a sugar cube - a frightening prospect, but a miracle from heaven. We were happy to wait in line for hours.

Earlier, when I was nine, I woke up one morning wih a high fever and the inabillity to walk. Hospitalized, I spent a week or so in that condition, but finally began to regain my strength and fully recovered. It was never determined whether it was polio, but the strong suspicion was that it had been a light case.

We celebraate and honor men and women who have been active iin many areas of life, but we fail to honor Salk and Sabin, who made such a tanagible difference in so very many lives. Why?

GrailSeeker · ‎12-01-2012

@SilleeMee wrote:
The history behind how they tested the vaccine is a an interesting and somewhat controversial one. Some have suggested that the testing is linked to other viruses found in central Africa where the polio vaccine was initially given to the locals there. There are some that say these other viruses may have been spread by the vaccine unknowingly and that the end result was not something anyone could have predicted because the technology at the time was lacking regarding virus detection.

There's always some bad that comes with the good in medicine.

I remember hearing that a monkey virus was used in the vaccine, and that this monkey virus has shown up in some cases of lung cancer. I heard that about 20 years ago. Dr. Dean Edell reported it, though he said it did not mean that the vaccine was the direct cause. It was not understood why the virus was showing up in the tumors.

Also, I wonder why they no longer give the oral polio vaccine. I, too, remember going with my mom and dad, across the highway to the the high school cafeteria for our sugar cubes. When my youngest child was being vaccinated, the nurse said they no longer considered the oral vaccine as effective, and he had to get the shot.

depglass · ‎03-10-2010

I was part of the original trial for the Salk vaccine. Can't remember how it was administered, or how many doses, but we got pins.

Oznell · ‎11-08-2014

So sorry, @Perkup, your family was so drastically affected. Thank goodness you survived whatever that episode was that you had!

SeaMaiden · ‎03-10-2010

My father had polio several years before I was born in his 30's. He stayed in the hospital for a year... the doctors told him he would never walk. He told them otherwise.... and was able to walk with a leg brace that he wore for the rest of his life. He was left with one weak leg. Polio ended his career as a lieutenant Commander in the Navy.... but he went on to work a big company in AeroSpace for the rest of his life.

He never let his disability stop him from being a great Father, fixing things around the house... and working his entire life being a great provider. I remember my friends would ask me why my father limped.... and I was always surprised they brought it up as I never noticed my dad limping or with a disability?

My Father also battled colon cancer in a brain aneurysm in his 40's and 50's

Later in his life he had the polio come back as Post Polio Syndrome... and he had to use a wheel chair for many years. That did not stop him from living in his own apartment, caring for himself and driving himself everywhere into his 90's.

He died from bladder cancer at 95.

Judaline · ‎03-10-2010

These stories are horrifying. My brother and I had an illness, the doctor came (to the house) and said to my mom that it's something that looks like polio but it isn't. I thought she would faint from relief. We got better-dunno what it was.

Did they ever find a cause for polio? Was it a virus? We were told to stay out of crowds but it wasn't contagious, was it?

I remember a movie about yellow fever. They thought they'd catch it from those who were infected, not knowing it came from a mosquito!!! That blew my mind. I just wonder now what caused polio-seems like they never found out, so how could they make a vaccine.

Oznell · ‎11-08-2014

What an absolutely extraordinary man your Father was, @SeaMaiden. Thank you for sharing about a truly inspirational life.

SilleeMee · ‎05-22-2016

@GrailSeeker wrote:
@SilleeMee wrote:
The history behind how they tested the vaccine is a an interesting and somewhat controversial one. Some have suggested that the testing is linked to other viruses found in central Africa where the polio vaccine was initially given to the locals there. There are some that say these other viruses may have been spread by the vaccine unknowingly and that the end result was not something anyone could have predicted because the technology at the time was lacking regarding virus detection.

There's always some bad that comes with the good in medicine.
I remember hearing that a monkey virus was used in the vaccine, and that this monkey virus has shown up in some cases of lung cancer. I heard that about 20 years ago. Dr. Dean Edell reported it, though he said it did not mean that the vaccine was the direct cause. It was not understood why the virus was showing up in the tumors.

Also, I wonder why they no longer give the oral polio vaccine. I, too, remember going with my mom and dad, across the highway to the the high school cafeteria for our sugar cubes. When my youngest child was being vaccinated, the nurse said they no longer considered the oral vaccine as effective, and he had to get the shot.

@GrailSeeker

The original experimental form of vaccine was administered via oral spray and that was later discovered to contain other viruses, possibly from monkeys or chimps. The viruses were too small to be detected at that time but were later seen when technology advanced. The oral vaccine was discontinued and claims were made that it was not effective which still remains a topic for debate. Oddly enough, samples of that oral spray form was 'lost' and researchers say they could not check it for possible monkey/chimp contaminant viruses since the original samples were 'gone'. ...hmmm.

CatsyCline · ‎07-24-2013

The virus lodges in the lower GI tract and it was particularly virulent in water. That is why kids were to stay away from pools and fountains. Poor bathroom habits spread the virus easily. the route of infection is caused by fecal-oral contact. Anywhere there were crowds was risky.

Most people exposed to grime and germs in daily life had built up natural immunity to the disease. At the turn of the 20th century improved sanitation provided great benefits but cleanliness diminished exposure to germs and resistance to viruses like polio dropped.

Poliomyelitis is a virus that may be found dating back to ancient times. There were a few cases of childhood paralysis identified in the 18th century that suggested there was a contagious aspect but none were linked as being the result of a virus. By the 1870s scientists identified and named the virus as poliomyelitis and had indentified epidemics which had occured.