Eisenhower's Plan to End Polio

Eisenhower’s Plan to End Polio

                                                     by Collette

Poliomyelitis was a dreaded virus during the 1940’s and 1950’s. It was brought to national attention when Franklin Delano Roosevelt contracted the disease as a young adult, but was able to continue in politics despite having it. When he became President photographs sometimes captured his heavy braces and difficulty walking. Although determined to not let the affliction affect his Presidency, it made his elected four terms very arduous.

The disease attacked those with weakened immune systems, but children were especially susceptible. No one knew what caused it, but its effects were devastating. It could mean paralysis and even death. Tragic pictures of children and young adults living in “iron lungs” showed what life could be like if polio was contracted. These people were so paralyzed, the “lung” provided pressure so they could breathe. Research led to a discovery of the causes and the eventual development of a vaccine for polio prevention in 1955 by Dr. Jonas Salk. President Dwight D. Eisenhower supported the government’s intervention into the eradication of the disease by advocating inoculation against polio for all school age children.

The following sources provide more information:

www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/155580
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_pressure_ventilator
www.eisenhower.archives.gov/research/online_documents/salk.html