What is Polio?
Polio is the most common name for the viral disease poliomyelitis, which comes from the Greek poliós meaning "grey", myelós referencing the spinal cord, and -itis meaning inflammation. The virus enters the body through the mouth, usually from the hands contaminated by fecal matter from an infected person. It causes muscle weakness that can lead to paralysis, breathing problems, and even death.
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History of Polio
Polio has existed for at least 3,500 years. The earliest illustration is an ancient carving of a young Egyptian man with a dropped foot, a shriveled leg, and a walking stick.
The Three Types of Polio
"Spinal Polio: attacks motor neurons in the spinal cord and causes paralysis in arms and legs and breathing problems
Bulbar Polio: affects neurons responsible for sight, vision, taste, swallowing, and breathing
Bulbospinal Polio: mixture of both spinal and bulbar polio."
~ Medical News Today
Bulbar Polio: affects neurons responsible for sight, vision, taste, swallowing, and breathing
Bulbospinal Polio: mixture of both spinal and bulbar polio."
~ Medical News Today
Personal Interview
"In 1943, when I had just turned six years old, I contracted
polio.
It started off with flu-like symptoms. My one year old sister
had just woken up from a nap and as I was picking her up out of her crib, my right leg buckled under me. I was rushed immediately to St.
Francis Hospital in Topeka, KS. Then they took me immediately to St. Luke’s in St. Louis
where there were many other polio victims. I had what they called a "dropped
foot", where I couldn’t pick up my foot at my ankle joint. I could lift my leg up at my knee though which was a blessing. I had to have three different surgeries where doctors had to take a bone
out of my right shin and put it behind my right heel to hold my foot up. A few years later, there was a problem with circulation in my
right leg, so I received a lumbar sympathectomy. It helped my leg a lot and I
could get some feeling in it again. Before that, I had to wear a long sock on
my right leg, because my leg would get freezing cold even in the middle of the summer. As a child, it was very embarrassing for me since none of the other girls had to wear
these long socks. I was 19 years old when Dr. Salk came out with his polio
vaccine, but I don’t remember if I ever received a vaccine shot."
~ Patricia Stallbaumer
~ Patricia Stallbaumer
Did You Know?
Many famous people have contracted polio including U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, popular Canadian musician Neil Young, and Jack Nicklaus, one of the greatest golfers of all times.
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Almost 95% of the people who are infected with polio do not contract any symptoms. Only 1% of those with symptoms will contract paralysis.
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