Among these are many dedicated scientists. These scientists have sometimes risked their own lives in the name of science. And our lives would not be the same if it were not for them.
This is my tribute to them.
Walter Reed was a scientist investigating yellow fever in an attempt to find out how the disease was transmitted. Lazear intentionally infected himself with yellow fever so he could be used as a test case. The project was a success. Unfortunately, Lazear died from the fever.
Another case was a scientist investigating gonorrhea. He injected himself with pus from a person with gonorrhea. Unfortunately, unknown to him, the person also had syphilis. The scientist died from the syphilis he had unknowingly infected himself with.
The two men that studied the microorganism causing the typhus epidemic were both killed by it.
In the quest to identify and combat the microorganism that causes Rocky Mountain spotted fever five researchers were killed, before they finally managed to combat it.
And the toll is continuing even now. Researchers from all over the world have been killed while working with smallpox.
But Jonas Salk is possibly the best example. In 1952 he developed the polio vaccine. His idea was to create a vaccine from polio that he had 'killed', or made ineffective. He believed the body would react to this 'killed' polio by creating antibodies to the disease. But were the cells really killed? Would he actually be infecting people with polio? To find out he inoculated himself, his wife and their three sons. Salk's theories were correct. The 'killed' polio did produce antibodies without them actually being infected by polio. The polio vaccine was the result. Salk was right and no harm was done. But what a risk he and his family took.
These are just some examples of the lengths that scientists go in their quest to help others. Often at their own risk. The scientists are just one group of people that deserve to be remembered forever.
Their work has not just changed our lives, but has saved our lives.
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