Magazine content is available exclusively for TIME subscribers.Medicine: Polio Gamble
The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis faced a dilemma. Not until April 1, 1955 could it hope to learn whether the Salk vaccine, tested in mass trials this past summer, really prevented polio. If it did, inoculations for 1955 would have to begin on that same date. But it takes months, and costs millions of dollars, to produce the tons of vaccine needed for a big-scale immunization program.
Last week President Basil O'Connor announced that the foundation is taking a $9,000,000 gamble by ordering 25 million cc. of the vaccine now. With 2,000,000 cc. on hand, that will be enough for...
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