The Discovery of the Polio Vaccine
The original polio vaccine was discovered by Dr. Jonas Salk with the help of Dr. Albert B. Sabin at the Virus Research Laboratory. Dr. Salk takes more credit for the original vaccine because of his distinction from Dr. Sabin’s vaccine to come in later years. Salk used a dead virus instead of a live one like Sabin. This meant that the vaccine required multiple shots and was more painful but at a time when polio victim numbers were at an all time high, this discovery was crucial.
Jonas Salk's 1952 polio vaccine tests
In 1952, Jonas Salk conducted tests for his polio vaccine on children with and without the disease. These tests were extremely successful for the children’s antibody rose and no children with the vaccine got polio the following year.
Jonas Salk's 1954 polio vaccine tests
The 1954 polio vaccine tests were extremely crucial in the eventual release of the vaccine to the public. The results showed that Salk’s vaccine was 80-90% effective in preventing paralytic polio. The test split the children into groups. A group with children from ages six to nine received an injection with either vaccine or placebo. While the second group only consisted of children from ages seven to eight and only received the vaccine with no placebo.
Young adults in an "iron lung" used to treat polio
Wiping Out Polio. Photograph. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/
2012/10/16/162670836/wiping-out-polio-how-the-u-s-snuffed-out-a-killer.