Contribution of Jonas Stalk For Eradicating Polio

In 1947, Jonas Salk a medical researcher from America became the head of a project to study viruses of polio at the University of Pittsburgh. Until now, thousands of children had become easy prey to polio each year. Most of the victims died. However, some survived but had to live a crippled life. One of the notable examples was former President of America, Franklin D. Roosevelt who contracted the diseases and remained cripple for the rest of his life.

Initially no one succeeded in creating effective polio vaccine. However, Jonas began his research on polio vaccines and worked tirelessly to develop one. Soon he publicized that he was ready to test a vaccine he had prepared. Jonas, his wife and three children were among the first to receive the vaccine. The vaccine contained viruses causing polio that had been killed with a formaldehyde solution. He believed that when the dead viruses were introduced into the body, they produced antibodies that would resist living viruses of polio if they invaded the body.

Soon it was decided to test the vaccine on a larger scale. Some of the parents were unwilling to let their children be vaccinated. They were afraid that the vaccine would give them the disease instead of protecting them against it.

Jonas addressed people through television and explained how the vaccine worked. He asked the parents to co-operate. Later four lakh children were administered the vaccine. It was found to be safe and effective.

In 1960, another American, Alert Sabin, developed a polio vaccine that could be taken by mouth. It was an oral vaccine. It was easier to administer and its effects last longer. The invention and use of these two vaccines has resulted in the eradication of polio from different parts of the world.