Conquering Polio | The March of Dimes
1/7/202641 min
In the summer of 1921, 39-year-old Franklin Delano Roosevelt was on vacation with his family when he developed a fever, muscle aches, and chills. Pain spread to his legs, and soon, he was paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors diagnosed him with polio, which was fast becoming America’s most dreaded infectious disease.
Every summer, polio struck without warning, causing swimming pools and movie theaters to close and panicked parents to keep their children indoors. Polio killed thousands of Americans each year and paralyzed many more. But scientists had no idea how to stop it.
Roosevelt an...
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First 90 secondsLindsay Graham· Host0:00
Hey, history buffs. If you can't get enough of the captivating stories we uncover on American History Tellers, you'll love the exclusive experience of Wondery Plus. Dive even deeper into the past with ad-free episodes, early access to new seasons, and bonus content that brings history to life like never before. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts and embark on an unparalleled journey through America's most pivotal moments. (music)Wondery. Imagine it's July 1942 in San Antonio, Texas. The glare of the morning sun hits your face as you push open your front door, your baby daughter balanced against your hip. Last night, your five-year-old son was admitted to the hospital with polio and you're rushing out to visit him. You're halfway down the porch steps when a man steps onto your front lawn with a stack of signs under his arm. Hey, hey, ma'am, I need you to go back inside. Your house is being placed under quarantine by orders of the San Antonio Department of Health. He holds up one of the signs. Big black letters spell out the words, "Quarantine. Keep out of this house." Your stomach drops. But I have to go to the hospital to check on my son. I'm sorry, ma'am. The order came through this morning. No, no, listen to me. He fell down yesterday and he couldn't get up. His legs just stopped working. He's in terrible pain. I- I have to see how he is. Ma'am, you can't go