Jonas Salk And The Polio Vaccine

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In an interview with the American Academy of Achievement, Jonas Salk stated “Risks, I like to say, always pay off. You learn what to do, or what not to do.” As a man of science, Salk truly believes and lives these words every day. In his career he has surely taken many risks, chasing down new theories and ideas, only to lead to a dead end road. But one day, he stumbled upon an idea, and took a risk that left an impact on humanity forever. Not only has Jonas Salk left his stamp on the medical world with the development of the Polio vaccine, but his team continues to conduct groundbreaking research on some of today’s most deadly diseases.
Knowledge of Polio has seemingly decreased throughout the years, but there is no denying its terrifying impact on parents of the early 20th century. What many people are unaware of is the fact that Polio is caused by a virus that can be spread by simple person-to-person contact (History of Polio). Secretions from the nasal and oral cavities as well as contact with bodily waste (feces) lead to the spread of this virus. Upon contact with a “contaminated” person, the virus travels through the mouth, growing and reproducing new cells as it moves along the digestive tract (History of Polio). In the most severe cases of Polio, the virus exits the digestive organs and enters the bloodstream where it wages war with nerve cells. This results in throat and chest paralysis and possibly even death (History of Polio).
Scientists hypothesize that Polio has been affecting the human race for thousands of years (History of Polio). Proof of this came from an Egyptian picture that is believed to have been carved around 1400 BCE. This carving portrays a man with a “leg deformity similar to one caused by Polio” (His...

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...ion or desire, which was to be of some help to humankind, so to speak, in a larger sense…” (Salk). That ambition drove him to develop one of the greatest medical feats of all time and a build an unprecedented research facility. He had to take many risks and face many people who did not believe in him, but in the end, Jonas Salk accomplished more than anyone thought was possible. Long after his passing, Salk’s legacy of hard work, brilliant ideas, and simple compassion for the human race will live on. He has left his mark on history with his work and he has also placed himself into the future with the research that is being conducted every day in his name. It is only a matter of time before the Salk Institute comes out with another groundbreaking concept proving again what can happen when you mix a little courage, a lot of ambition, and a brilliant mind for science.

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