Jonas Salk

“Hard times don't create heroes. It is during the hard times when the 'hero' within us is revealed” (Bob Riley). Everyone possesses the ability to become a hero in trying times, but what makes a person a hero is that people look up to them. Generally, admirable heroes are determined to accomplish their goal and selfless enough so that when it comes down to saving themselves or the world they chose the greater good. Determination is when you feel like you are your breaking point, but you still try to keep going for everyone else’s benefit.  Determination and selflessness go hand in hand as selfless people tend to be determined. Selflessness can be found when a person will sacrifice everything they have for the greater good. Selfless people will do anything for anyone so that they have made a positive change in some else’s life. People look up to heroes because they have what the people wish to see within themselves. They embody the goal’s people want to achieve, but won't actually reach. When times get rough there will always be a hero who rises to the occasion. To be a hero you must have the ability to stay determined and accomplish your goal, and selflessly help others, should you need to.

Jonas Salk inspecting his vaccinehttp://www.achievement.org/achiever/jonas-salk-m-d/Even though you might worship your hero, some people might not see what is so admirable about them. One of the most controversial heroes of his time was Jonas Salk who revolutionized medicine. When Salk first tried to revolutionize vaccines, he was relatively new to the field. Yet, unlike other scientists at the time, he thought about a dead virus vaccine instead of a live one; which was thought to be the only working vaccine at the time. Many other scientists laughed at him, but Salk was certain that he was right.  Eventually, he created the first successful polio vaccine which immunized approximately 90% of America. During his research, Salk overcame many hardships and he risked everything he had to find a vaccine so that people wouldn't have to suffer anymore. Jonas Salk’s dedication to his research despite his colleague’s objections, and his selflessness and will to sacrifice everything he had to save people’s lives made him one of the most influential Americans of the 20th century.

Salk’s determination to succeed despite other people’s criticism let him create the first successful polio vaccine. He took the medical world by storm in his attempt to create a polio vaccine and Salk looked at the information with a whole new set of eyes and a fresh perspective. This resulted in Salk’s revolutionary theories, which didn't go over well with some of his associates: “Despite Salk's confidence in his findings, many of his colleagues were skeptical, believing that a killed-virus vaccine could not possibly be effective. His dubious standing was further compounded by the fact that he was relatively new to polio vaccine research. His competitors in the race to develop the vaccine--most notably Albert Sabin, the leading proponent of a live-virus vaccine--had been working for years and were irked by the presence of this upstart with unorthodox ideas” (“Jonas Salk”). Due to his novice in the polio vaccine community Salk’s colleagues doubted his methods and he became an outcast of the community. His peers believed that his theories were wrong due to all of their previous refuting Salk’s claim. These scientists have committed their lives to their studies, spent countless hours in their labs, and used thousands of dollars to fund their research. For an amateur scientist to come in and tell them they are wrong was absolutely preposterous. These scientists truly believed that a live-virus vaccine was the only type of vaccine that would work. Even though Salk was confident that his vaccine was effective, his fellow scientists didn't believe him and they wouldn't hear him out. Despite all of this, Salk remained determined in his quest to create a vaccine that was safe and effective. His innovative and amazing outside side of the box thinking shed some light on the mystery of the illusive polio vaccine. “Salk's idea of using a dead virus to stimulate the body into recognizing the virus and then providing immunity to it was a new one. Many people scoffed at the idea because it went against all of the current theories of viral research. The general scientific consensus at the time was that the body could only provide immunity to a virus that was still living. Salk brought up the idea of making a dead virus vaccine at a conference in New York, where he was laughed at by Albert Sabin, who was to be his lifelong rival” ("Jonas Salk.").  Salk’s idea of a dead virus vaccine shook the biology community. His extraordinary determination allowed him to keep fighting for his theory, even though no one would hear him out. Due to his extremely stubborn colleagues being adamant about him being wrong, Salk went the extra mile to prove his theory of dead virus vaccines. If Salk had not been determined then his vaccine wouldn't have saved thousands of lives.

Jonas Salk testing a vaccinehttp://witnify.com/eisenhower-thanks-jonas-salk-for-the-polio-vaccine/Salk’s selfless drive for the good of the people pushed him to create the vaccine that saved the lives of people all around the world. He was willing to risk everything if it meant other people would have the chance at a better life. His selflessness is portrayed further when he is faced with his stubborn peers: “Contrary to the era’s prevailing scientific opinion, Salk believed his vaccine, composed of ‘killed’ polio virus, could immunize without risk of infecting the patient. Salk administered the vaccine to volunteers who had not had polio, including himself, his lab scientist, his wife and their children. All developed anti-polio antibodies and experienced no negative reactions to the vaccine” (“About Jonas Salk”). He was willing to risk life and limb for the greater good and all of humanity will forever be positively affected by his sacrifices. For example, he was so dedicated to his cause that was willing to inject not only himself but his family and friends with the vaccine. If the vaccine had not worked, then there would have been severe consequences such as them developing polio and eventually becoming paralyzed. Until his vaccines were tested for any minuscule errors, Salk couldn’t give people his vaccines: “On April 12, 1955, the results were announced: the vaccine was safe and effective. In the two years before the vaccine was widely available, the average number of polio cases in the U.S. was more than 45,000. By 1962, that number had dropped to 910. Hailed as a miracle worker, Salk never patented the vaccine or earned any money from his discovery, preferring it be distributed as widely as possible”(“About Jonas Salk.”). Unlike many scientists before him, money was not a driving force for Salk in creating the vaccine. Although his vaccine was used all throughout the US, Salk never patented it so that every man, women, and child in the US could live a polio-free existence. If he had the vaccine patented, then not everyone would be able to have access to it and there would have been hundreds of more polio cases in 1955. This factor alone is a true testament to Salk being an extremely selfless human being with the utmost character.

Jonas Salk giving a vaccine to a childhttps://www.daytodaygk.com/meet-greatest-scientists-world/Salk’s extraordinary determination and remarkable selflessness were key factors in his creation of the vaccine that changed America. To Salk creating the polio vaccine wasn't something to be rewarded for. If anything, the vaccine was Salk’s greatest gift to the medical community and the rest of the world. He could have patented the vaccine and made a fortune off of it, yet he chose not to; he wanted the vaccine available to everyone, not just the people who could afford it. Salk even went so far as to risk his and his family's lives to test the vaccine to ensure that it would work. When he was sharing his theories of the vaccine to his colleagues, they laughed at him. What Salk proposed went against all medical theories at the time and he was thought to be crazy. Nevertheless, he stayed determined to find a vaccine so that people wouldn't have to suffer anymore. Without his determination to succeed and will to put the greater good before himself, Salk wouldn't have become the inspirational hero that we know today. His selfless actions have inspired many scientists to join his field so that they too can change the world. While his determination has inspired people to ignore their doubters and keep trying until they accomplish their goal. Jonas Salk helped save many lives, including our own because doctors still give babies polio vaccines today. So without his creation, many of us wouldn't be here today. Jonas Salk became the hero he needed to be due to the polio epidemic that was ravaging the country and ruining people’s lives. When trouble arises someone has to step forth and take a stand to ensure the safety of our world, and these heroes tend to come from unexpected places.

Works Cited

“About Jonas Salk.” Salk Institute for Biological Studies,

www.salk.edu/about/history-of-salk/jonas-salk/.

"Jonas Salk." Newsmakers, Gale, 1995. Student Resources in Context,

https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1618001273/SUIC?u=powa9245&xid=d562a6be. Accessed 21 Dec. 2017.

"Jonas Salk." Scientists: Their Lives and Works, UXL, 2006. Biography in Context,

https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K2641500276/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=1e5a6bd9. Accessed

8 Jan. 2018.

“The Salk Vaccine.” Eisenhower President Archives, 29 Apr. 1955,

www.eisenhower.archives.gov/research/online_documents/salk/Salk_K.pdf.