The tortured history of a disease that devastated thousands. This book describes the history of the disease and attempts to cure it, and all the political infighting that resulted. Of course, any history of polio will be overshadowed by perhaps its most famous sufferer - Franklin D. Roosevelt - and this book is in a way his story, too. Recommended for people who enjoy books about medical discovery. ( )

An honestly enjoyable read. The fight against polio is a major force in mid-20th century American history. ( )

I read this because it won the 2006 Pulitzer for History. It is 46th such winner I/ve read. I found it full of interest, telling the story of polio victims, including a good account of FDR's experience, and then telling of the efforts to overcome the disease, and of Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin and the developement of the dead virus and live virus vaccines. The book was at times exciting and I was surprised how interesting it was, especially since medicine is not an area in which I read much. ( )

As a Professor: As a college Professor, I have always had an interest in the history part of my profession (teaching Biology) and found this a very interesting read. It was not your typical boring history book. It explored some of the personality conflicts that drove the whole process. I enjoyed the book thoroughly and would highly recommend it for anyone interested in the history of this disease and how we finally got a handle on it in the U.S.

The Race to Cure Polio

In this highly engaging historical narrative, Historian David M. Oshinsky highlights the race for a vaccine for poliomyetitis. The story is one of tragedy and triumph, controversy and concensus.

What makes this story worth telling? The triumph over Polio in the United States during the post-war period represents a landmark in the history of medicine and technology, of human progress. The process that led to the Salk and Sabine vaccines is a true American success story, borne out of the good old American values of hard work and determination.

The story of how America conquered Polio is not without its controversies and skeptics. There was a real sense both at the time and looking back that "Polio had been oversold as a menace to public health" (p.239). That the Dimes March On campaign, the posters with the poor suffering children, had created a false panic. That this relatively uncommon disease had been turned into a public-relations media blitz which threatened the ethics of scientific research. It was the first campaign of its kind, and though controversial as it was, it was ultimately successful through its relentless advertising, fund-raising and lobbying efforts; it helped pave the way for all future disease awareness campaigns.

At the heart of Oshinsky's narrative is the intense competition between rivals Jonas Salk and Albert Sabine over the race to a vaccine. Salk was the first to come up with his killed-virus vaccine but not without his critics who labeled Salk a quack and sell-out for rushing to market his vaccine. Oshinsky calls the 1954 Salk polio vaccine field trials, "the biggest medical gamble in history" (p.189). And indeed it was, and almost failed miserably after the Cutter fiasco where 1 pharmacy manufacturer had mishandled the production of the Salk vaccine allowing some live viruses to mix with the production batch.

Oshinsky further provides insights into the ethical dilemmas all scientists face such as conducting vaccination trials on "volunteers" and the treatment of lab animals. The story is not so black and white as it may appear.

It is also worth noting that during the period, 1945-1956, regulation of public health was nowhere near the level it is today in the United States.

Overall, Oshinsky delivers both as a Historian and a great storyteller. Oshinsky is well deserving of the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in history for this significant contribution to the scientific and social history of the post-war US period. ( )