Polio

Polio

Throughout the early 1900's a deadly disease devoured the United States. It swept through states, cities and towns faster and deadlier than any one expected it would. It left children dead, paralyzed and families devastated. This disease was called Poliomyelitis, also called Polio. It has been around since ancient times but its deadliest appearance was the early 1900's right before the vaccination was created.

At the diseases strongest point over 60,000 cases were reported in the United States and over 3000 deaths occurred leaving the nation shocked. Finally by 1979 polio was eliminated from the States due to the vaccination discovered by Jonas Salk in 1955. If the vaccination had been discovered earlier it would have saved thousands of children from paralysis and death.

There are two types of Polio which a person can catch. One is very deadly and one is not so deadly. The polio that is not so deadly is called non paralytic polio. People with this sickness have flu like symptoms such as fevers, diarrhea, sore throats and feeling ill. However in the unlucky case of getting paralytic polio people may develop muscle paralysis and might even die. In paralytic polio, the virus leaves the intestinal tract and enters the bloodstream, attacking the nerves. The virus may affect the nerves governing the muscles in the limbs and the muscles necessary for breathing, causing respiratory difficulty and paralysis of the arms and legs. (The Nemours Foundations)

The disease is carried through stool or waste of other humans with the disease and is spread through the stool. Washing one's hands after using the bathroom is a good way to avoid catching the disease. Drinking contaminated water is also a way to catch the disease.

While Polio was at its most powerful point patients with breathing disabilities were placed in iron lungs. Iron lungs