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KittyWampus

(55,894 posts) Tue Oct 28, 2014, 01:09 AM Oct 2014

Thank You Dr. Salk- Google Doodle Celebrates Man Who Developed Polio Vaccine

Jonas Salk's 100th Birthday: Google doodle celebrates the anniversary of scientist who developed polio vaccine

Google has celebrated the 100th birthday of Dr Jonas Salk, the American scientists who developed the first successful polio vaccine, with a doodle on its homepage.

The heart-warming illustration depicts two children holding up a sign reading “Thank you, Dr Salk!” – a tribute to the virologist’s work against a disease whose main victims were children.

In the two years before his vaccine was made widely available, the average number of polio cases in the US was more than 45,000. By 1962, that number had dropped to 910.

Salk graduated from New York University School of Medicine in 1939 with his M.D. degree, and soon started work as a staff physician at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

He would then apply his talents to the field of research, becoming a fellow at the University of Michigan where he worked to develop a flu vaccine at the request of the US Army.

By 1947, he was appointed director of the Virus Research Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, the institution where he developed the techniques that would help him discover a vaccine for polio.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/jonas-salks-100th-birthday-google-doodle-celebrates-the-anniversary-of-scientist-who-developed-police-vaccine-9822226.html

8 replies

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Thank You Dr. Salk- Google Doodle Celebrates Man Who Developed Polio Vaccine (Original Post) KittyWampus Oct 2014 OP

K&R Solly Mack Oct 2014 #1

A brilliant and selfless man! CaliforniaPeggy Oct 2014 #2

Well, on the vaccine level you can start... DreamGypsy Oct 2014 #6

I was born in 1952...here's a photo from that year... DreamGypsy Oct 2014 #3

Thanks for the further information. I thank Dr. Salk too, growing up with kids with polio and I got freshwest Oct 2014 #4

I was born in '47 and remember that photo vividly. Every school had it's share of.... Hekate Oct 2014 #7

My father contracted polio and was fortunate in that its only lasting effect KittyWampus Oct 2014 #8

Polio is still devastating in Pakistan. littlemissmartypants Oct 2014 #5

Solly Mack

(90,789 posts)

1. K&R

Reply to KittyWampus (Original post)

Tue Oct 28, 2014, 01:09 AM

Oct 2014

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,726 posts)

2. A brilliant and selfless man!

Reply to KittyWampus (Original post)

Tue Oct 28, 2014, 01:24 AM

Oct 2014

Where are the disciples that we need to carry on his traditions today?

DreamGypsy

(2,252 posts)

6. Well, on the vaccine level you can start...

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Reply #2)

Tue Oct 28, 2014, 02:33 AM

Oct 2014

...the search for Salk's disciples with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the efforts to develop a malaria vaccine:

Malaria occurs in nearly 100 countries worldwide, exacting a huge toll on human health and imposing a heavy social and economic burden in developing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. An estimated 207 million people suffered from the disease in 2012, and about 627,000 died. About 90 percent of the deaths were in Sub-Saharan Africa, and 77 percent were among children under age 5.

A problem though is that malaria is not endemic in countries like, oh, uh, the United States, where there is no great concern about solving the problem or preventing the deaths in Africa or Asia (though a preventative was important while building the Panama canal). Just like ebola didn't reach the radar as a disease (although it appeared on the terrorist threat screen) until some cases moved into the neighborhood.

There are also other issues with malaria because of the difficulty of controlling parasite-borne diseases (from the Gates Foundation):

Despite significant progress, current tools and treatments are insufficient to eliminate malaria in many countries because of challenges such as growing insecticide and drug resistance and continued transmission by people who are infected but asymptomatic

However, there are some "disciples" who are working to address some of these problems...such as, to get a bit personal, my wife, who a founder, past CEO, and current board chairwoman of a company developing drugs that overcome the current evolving resistance to drugs for treatment of malaria, tuberculosis, and bacterial resistance threats. There are still business challenges for such U.S. companies, however, since investors and big Pharma are NOT greatly interested in solving the problems of Africa and Asia.

Scratch the surface and I think you'll find plenty of researchers, entrepreneurs, and humanitarians who are working to solve today's critical disease problems, just like Salk and Sabin worked on a major problem of their era. Unfortunately, you may have to scratch through a layer of political/socioeconomic noise to reach them.

DreamGypsy

(2,252 posts)

3. I was born in 1952...here's a photo from that year...

Reply to KittyWampus (Original post)

Tue Oct 28, 2014, 01:35 AM

Oct 2014

Polio patients in iron lungs in 1952.

In the first half of the 20th century, Americans lived in fear of the incurable paralytic poliomyelitis (polio) disease, which they barely understood and knew not how to contain. That the disease led to some kind of infection in the central nervous system that crippled so many children, and even a president (Franklin D. Roosevelt) was alarming enough. But the psychological trauma that followed a neighborhood outbreak resonated. Under the mistaken belief that poor sanitary conditions during the “polio season” of summer increased exposure to the virus, people resorted to measures that had been used to combat the spread of influenza or the plague. Areas were quarantined, schools and movie theaters were closed, windows were sealed shut in the heat of summer, public swimming pools were abandoned, and draft inductions were suspended.

Worse, many hospitals refused to admit patients who were believed to have contracted polio, and the afflicted were forced to rely on home care by doctors and nurses who could do little more than fit children for braces and crutches. In its early stages, polio paralyzed some patients’ chest muscles; if they were fortunate, they would be placed in an “iron lung,” a tank respirator with vacuum pumps pressurized to pull air in and out of the lungs. The iron lungs saved lives, but became an intimidating visual reminder of polio’s often devastating effects.

My best friend in grade school wore a leg brace because of polio.

When I was in second grade the sugar cubes were administered to everyone in the class.

Thank you, Doctors Salk and Sabin.

freshwest

(53,661 posts)

4. Thanks for the further information. I thank Dr. Salk too, growing up with kids with polio and I got

Reply to DreamGypsy (Reply #3)

Tue Oct 28, 2014, 01:41 AM

Oct 2014

my vaccine with the sugar cube as well. And the small pox vaccine in the arm.

But back then the kids still got chickenpox, measles and mumps. I was fortunate to not have complications but have since learned the chickenpox is why I need to get a shingles shot.

I was unaware of the fear that you describe there, did not know there was the same kind of response to it as some other diseases have had and I don't even know how it was contracted. Never thought about it, just felt fortunate.

Hekate

(90,846 posts)

7. I was born in '47 and remember that photo vividly. Every school had it's share of....

Reply to DreamGypsy (Reply #3)

Tue Oct 28, 2014, 03:23 AM

Oct 2014

...kids in heavy braces and crutches.

When the vaccine was first released to the public for mass innoculations, the line of families at the clinic held in my elementary school went from the building, across the playground, and as far as the sidewalk outside. Every parent was profoundly grateful.

I feel sorry for children today whose parents grew up without knowing why we have vaccinations in the first place. Currently we have an epidemic of whooping cough because of the anti-vaxxers. What next?

Bless the memory of those great scientists forever.

KittyWampus

(55,894 posts)

8. My father contracted polio and was fortunate in that its only lasting effect

Reply to DreamGypsy (Reply #3)

Tue Oct 28, 2014, 09:26 AM

Oct 2014

was a very mild throat paralysis (he can't drink from a straw or bottle).

littlemissmartypants

(22,837 posts)

5. Polio is still devastating in Pakistan.

Reply to KittyWampus (Original post)

Tue Oct 28, 2014, 01:48 AM

Oct 2014

With the many hardships faced there the government vows to do better, according to a BBC report. I hope they do try.

Thanks for your post, KittyWampus.

~ Lmsp

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