"By the 1950s, polio had become America's most dreaded infectious disease, as it fell cruelly and inescapably every summer, putting children in particular at risk."
~ David Oshinsky PhD
~ David Oshinsky PhD
Thesis
Dr. Jonas E. Salk's discovery of the killed-virus vaccine and the creation of the polio vaccine saved millions of lives and paved the way for future opportunities to eliminate entire diseases from the earth.
Introduction
As one of the greatest medical research pioneers in the twentieth century, Dr. Jonas Salk created the first polio vaccine in 1954 using killed-virus. His relentless dedication coupled with his magnanimity, created an immeasurable legacy that would impact the world for generations. Dr. Salk not only deferred patenting his vaccine for profit, but envisioned his desire through the creation of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.