American Experience

The Polio Crusade

In the summer of 1950 Wytheville, VA realized the nation's worst medical fears. An outbreak of Infantile Paralysis, commonly known as Polio, swept through a small town of 5,500 in which 40 percent of residents had not yet reached their eighteenth birthday. Highly contagious, just in time for summer vacation, the devastating neurodegenerative disease had chosen its next target.

Chapter 1 | The Polio Crusade

9m 36s

A tribute to a time when Americans banded together to conquer a terrible disease.

Previews + Extras

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    The Polio Crusade Preview

    S21 E2 - 30s

    The story of the polio crusade pays tribute to a time when Americans banded together to conquer a terrible disease. The medical breakthrough saved countless lives and had a pervasive impact on American philanthropy that continues to be felt today.

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