The first mass vaccination of children against polio begins this day, February 23, 1954, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Until the 1950s was anxious times for parents because at that time children became infested with a crippling disease referred to as poliomyelitis, or polio as commonly called. This anxiety was cast out when Dr. Jonas Salk (1914-1995), American virologist and medical researcher, developed a vaccine against this disease.
Dr. Salk never patented his polio vaccine, but distributed the formula freely for the world to benefit from his discovery. He saved millions of people from death or alive but wheel-chair drawn.
Today, the Jonas Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California (La Jolla), continues his scientific work that include researches into diseases including cancer and HIV/AIDS.
Source:
Dateline. New South Wales: Millennium House, 2006.
No comments:
Post a Comment