jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Polio is one of those diseases that was a nightmare when it was around, but almost forgotten these days. I've seen it on TV, in both documentaries and in story lines, and it must have been terrifying living through those outbreaks.

I have lunch a couple of times a week with a senior group. One woman in her 80s walks with difficulty using a walker. We all assumed it was because of her age and general deterioration. Today she was talking about her apartment, saying she was glad she was on the ground floor because she doesn't do well on stairs. She said that even in high school, she was very slow on the stairs. Someone asked her why, and she replied, "Polio."

About Dave Garroway -
"The old pro, back on network TV for the first time in a decade, closed the show with a story about his son at the age of 10. He'd told the boy he was going to a banquet to honor Jonas Salk and the boy asked: "Who is Jonas Salk?" Dave told him Salk discovered the vaccine for polio and the boy asked: "What's polio?" Dave raised his hand. "Peace," he said.
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/166052231/

I found a similar story from Canada, 1994. And by coincidence, I posted something similar in a thread on July 16 of last year. My wife was in the first wave of kids to get the vaccine, and she received a "Polio Pioneer Card, " which she always kept.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I vaguely remember loading into the '46 Hudson and going to get the vaccine in 1955.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I have no recollection of getting the shot, but I know I did. (There weren't many anti-vaxers at the time.) My uncle had a late 40s and then an early 50s Hudson.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

It was quite a big deal because we had to go to a hospital to get the shot and I don't remember that part, just getting in the car. I suspect that being in the immediate area of the New London,Ct Submarine Base and Coast Guard Academy may have increased the priority and visibility, but I can not confirm that.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

"I can neither confirm nor deny..."

Spoken like a true government agent.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I'm not sure and I don't wish to be quoted, but in the spirit of cooperation we should move forward.

dancers Loc: melbourne.victoria, australia

a friend of mine, she is 86, was in hospital for three years as a child, and NOW has Post Polio Syndrome, which is making walking almost impossible.. I terrible disease.

tbpmusic Loc: LaPorte, Indiana

Ruby takes her boys for polio shots - I'm the biggest one (and the best-lookin' and smartest too).......

dancers Loc: melbourne.victoria, australia

here we were given Oral medication to prevent this terrible disease. I was probably in my 30s when given it.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Wow, a bit of history!

SteveR Loc: Michigan

As I recall, we got the vaccine in the form of sugar cubes given at two times, both at school.

MTG44 Loc: Corryton, Tennessee

Grew up with the fear of polio and started getting shots in mid fifties. New a few people who got the disease.

cincykid

One of my sisters had polio. She went thru about 10 operations to get her legs to be the same length. She has numerous scars bur came thru it. Anyone who doesn't belive in vaccines doesn't understand fact or history.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

All the hype about the dangers of vaccines goes back to one flawed report that was retracted by the author. It's funny how people seek out and cling to the negative (no pun intended on this photo forum ).

Sendai5355 Loc: On the banks of the Pedernales River, Texas

I remember that when I was about 8 or 9 I was so fearful of contracting polio and having to be confined to an Iron Lung. Received the vaccine as an injection in 1955 or 56.