Polio title picture

How did the Polio endemic effect the people of America?

By maksims

  • Intro part 1

    This timeline is about the Polio epidemic and it dives into the research question: “How did the Polio epidemic affect the people of America?”. Unlike the Coronavirus, where it has spread all over the entire world, the Polio epidemic in the 1950's was mainly in America. It affected everyone. The virus came around mostly during the warmer months in the summer almost every summer for years. (1) The virus is called Poliomyelitis and it almost always doesn’t show symptoms in the people affected. (2)

  • Intro part 2

    Some however had flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, nausea etc. Around 1%-2% of people with the virus can become paralyzed.(3) Most of the victims will recover from the paralysis but some will still have muscle weakness. While there is no definite cure for the Polio virus, we do have a strong vaccine that has eliminated the virus from the Western hemisphere.(4) Other countries are still struggling with it from time to time but hopefully one day it will be no more.

  • Intro part 3

    Just like the Coronavirus people were trying to social distance during the Polio epidemic.(5) Nobody knew what the virus was or where it came from. Kids were learning school over the radio and not able to play outside anymore or with friends…. Sounds familiar. During this time all the schools, movie theaters swimming pools and churches were closing down. Just like the kids learning over the radio, the churchgoers also listened to their priests and pastors over the radio. (6).

  • Intro part 4

    In this TimeLine the objects shown are a map, a sculpture of a head and a commemorative stamp. With these objects I am looking at what life was like during the Polio epidemic in the United States. The map, which is what we will be looking at first gives us an insight to just how many people were infected in America. The sculpture is the head of Jonas Edward Salk and this is just to tell us that it shines a light on the person that made an effort to help the people of America during this time.

  • Intro part 5

    Lastly, the commemorative stamp. This stamp is to show how excited people were to get the vaccine and how it affected them in a positive way.

  • Picture of a map of the distribution of Polio in the U.S in 1952.

    Picture of a map of the distribution of Polio in the U.S in 1952.
    This is a Picture of a map of the distribution of Polio in the U.S in 1952. (7.) It was created in 1955 in the USA. This map is to inform people where the Polio virus was and how many people were affected in that area. The first U.S polio epidemic was in 1894 and it wasn’t until the late 1940’s that a vaccine was made and started to be used. This map is from 1952 when another surge of cases met the U.S.

  • A sculpture of the head of Jonas Edward Salk.

    A sculpture of the head of Jonas Edward Salk.
    This is a sculpture of the head of Jonas Edward Salk and it is complete as it was only supposed to be the head. This was cast after by Edmond Romulus Amateis and was created in 1966 in New York City.(8) Jonas Edward Salk was known for creating a vaccine against the polio virus and this is a sculpture commemorating his achievements. When the Salk Polio vaccine came out it was revolutionary. When this sculpture was made the Polio virus was just on its way of being out of America completely.

  • A commemorative stamp of a child getting the Polio vaccine.

    A commemorative stamp of a child getting the Polio vaccine.
    This is a commemorative stamp that was designed by Howard Paine in Springfield, Maryland on May 26, 1999.(9) The purpose of this stamp is to highlight the fact that the polio vaccine had finally been developed. People had been waiting for the vaccine for a while and when they finally got it, it was a big deal. So, by making a cool commemorative stamp like this it reminds people that this disease won’t be such a burden anymore and that there is an end in sight.

  • Endnotes

    1. Volker Janssen, “When Polio Triggered Fear”.
    2. Volker Janssen, “When Polio Triggered Fear”.
    3. “History of Polio”
    4. “History of Polio”
    5. Volker Janssen, “When Polio Triggered Fear”.
    6. Volker Janssen, “When Polio Triggered Fear”.
    7. Distribution of Polio.
    8. Dr. Jonas Edward Salk.
    9. Howard Paine, 33c Polio Vaccine.

  • Bibliograhy

    Bibliography
    1. Distribution of Polio in the United States, 1952. Photo. Oveta Culp Hobby Papers. Paper. https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/distribution-of-polio-in-the-united-states-1952. (March 12th, 2021)
    2. Paine, Howard. 33c Polio Vaccine single. Photo. Ashton-Potter USA. Paper. https://collections.si.edu/search/detail/edanmdm:npm_2000.2020.108?q=polio+stamp&record=4&hlterm=polio%2Bstamp&inline=true. (March 12th, 2021).

  • Bibliograhy part 2

    1. Dr. Jonas Edward Salk. Sculpture. Roman Bronze Works, Inc. Bronze. https://collections.si.edu/search/detail/edanmdm:npg_NPG.66.29?q=jonas+edward+salk+&record=3&hlterm=jonas%2Bedward%2Bsalk%2B&inline=true. (March 13th, 2021).
    2. Janssen, Volker. “When Polio Triggered Fear and Panic Among Parents in the 1950s”. History.com. Last updated: April 2nd, 2020. https://www.history.com/news/polio-fear-post-wwii-era March 12th, 2021.

  • Bibliograhy part 3

    1. “History of Polio ( Poliomyelitis )”. Historyofvaccines.org. Last updated January 25th, 2018. https://www.historyofvaccines.org/index.php/content/articles/history-polio-poliomyelitis