JONAS SALK

Developer of Polio Vaccine

“ LIFE IS AN ERROR-MAKING AND AN ERROR-CORRECTING PROCESS, AND NATURE IN MARKING MAN’S PAPERS WILL GRADE HIM FOR WISDOM AS MEASURED BOTH BY SURVIVAL AND BY THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THOSE WHO SURVIVE “

• Salk was invited to spend a year researching influenza. The virus that causes flu had only recently been discovered and the young Salk was eager to learn if the virus could be deprived of its ability to infect, while still giving immunity to the illness

• His actual work to cure polio started when in America in the 1950s

In 1947 Salk accepted an appointment to the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. While working there with the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, Salk saw an opportunity to develop a vaccine against polio, and devoted himself to this work for the next eight years.

The New York Times referred to him as the

“Father of Biophilosophy”.

The 1952 epidemic was the worst outbreak in the nation's history. Of nearly 58,000 cases reported that year, 3,145 people died and 21,269 were left

with mild to disabling paralysis

Born in New York City

Salk died at age 80 on

June 23, 1995