Jonas Salk

Jonas Salk 1914 - 1995

Jonas Edward Salk was an American research scientist. He worked in the field of preventive medicine. He is best known for his discovery of a vaccine to stop polio. Polio is a serious infection caused by a virus. The disease was greatly feared because it left many of its victims paralysed for life.

Jonas Salk had a simple early life. He went to college intending to study law, but soon became interested in medical science. While studying, he was invited to spend a year researching “influenza” (an extended word for flu). The virus that caused flu had only just been discovered. Salk was determined to learn about it.

In 1947, Salk accepted a position at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. While working, Salk saw an opportunity to make a vaccine against polio. He put his head down for the next eight years.

Salk’s vaccine was made up of the “killed” poliovirus. This meant that people could be injected with the virus without being infected. He killed the virus by using formaldehyde. The virus was killed but enough remained to create antibodies in humans.

In 1953, Salk asked for volunteers to test his vaccine. The