Existing comment:
Jonas Salk's polio vaccine
1954–55
vial of some of the first vaccine given to humans
Although Jonas Salk's polio vaccine promised to eradicate one of the most feared diseases of the early 20th century, its acceptance was hardly easy. Many people feared catching the disease from the vaccine and, in fact, poor quality control by one of the manufacturers led to the infection of about 200,000 people. Others worried about the role of the federal government in administering the vaccine. Today, polio vaccines have eliminated the paralyzing disease throughout most of the world. |