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Congressional Gold Medal.com |
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Congressional Gold Medal Recipient
Jonas E. Salk
Jonas E. Salk b. New York City, New York, New York, 28 October 1914
d. La Jolla, San Diego, California, 23 June 1995
Tuesday, 9 August 1955
JOINT RESOLUTION To provide that a gold medal be coined and presented to Doctor Jonas E. Salk in honor of his achievements in the field of medicine. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in recognition of the great achievement of Doctor Jonas E. Salk in the field of medicine by his discovery of a serum for the prevention of poliomyelitis, the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized and directed to cause to be struck and presented to Doctor Jonas E. Salk a gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the Secretary. For such purpose there is authorized to be appropriated the sum of $2,500. SEC. 2. The Secretary of the Treasury shall cause duplicates in bronze of such medal to coined and sold, under such regulations as he may prescribe, at a price sufficient to cover the cost thereof (including labor), and the appropriations used for carrying out the provisions of this section shall be reimbursed out of the proceeds of such sale. 69 Stat. 589
Jonas S. Salk Drs. Jonas E. Salk and Albert B. Sabin were the pioneers and researchers who discovered the vaccine and serum to combat polio, a crippling and killing disease that affected millions of people throughout the world annually. Salk was the oldest of three sons born to Dora and Daniel B. Salk in New York City on October 28, 1914. An exceptional student, he graduated from Townsend Harris High School, the school for the talented and gifted, and worked his way through City College. He received his medical degree from the College of Medicine at New York University in June 1939. In 1942, he went to the University of Michigan, where he developed an influenza vaccine to destroy the polio viruses. Jonas Salk is among the most venerated medical scientists of the century. Though his first words were reported to be "dirt, dirt," his early thoughts were not on studying germs but on going into law. He became interested in biology and chemistry, however, and decided to go into research. He went to New York University medical school for training. There in 1938 he began working with microbiologist Thomas Francis, Jr., who was looking for an influenza vaccine. They developed one that was used in the armed forces during World War II. Salk worked to develop vaccines that killed each of the three types of polio viruses. After injecting small groups of people, Salk announced in October 1953 that he had injected 600 people with the vaccine. This experimental group would determine the safety of the new vaccine. The next month, the National Foundation of Infantile Paralysis announced it was making plans for large scale testing of Salk's vaccine. The success of the vaccination effort won Jonas Salk unsought fame. The March of Dimes, hoping to boost publicity and donations to fund vaccination programs, lionized Salk to the point of offending his colleagues. He had applied the findings of others in a successful bid to prevent disease. Other researchers and doctors grumbled that he hadn't found anything new; he had just applied what was there. But the timing of his successful vaccine at the peak of polio's devastation made the public blind to that. During the next year more than a million children received three injections for the three types of viruses. Salk also injected himself, his wife and children. The testing proved that this was the first answer in combating polio. The new vaccine, however, had one drawback: booster injections had to be given periodically.
Dr. Jonas E. Salk was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Dr. Jonas Salk died on June 23, 1995.
Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient Dr. Jonas E. Salk Proclamation 5335 -- Dr. Jonas E. Salk Day, 1985 May 6, 1985 By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation One of the greatest challenges to mankind always has been eradicating the presence of debilitating disease. Until just thirty years ago poliomyelitis occurred in the United States and throughout the world in epidemic proportions, striking tens of thousands and killing thousands in our own country each year. Dr. Jonas E. Salk changed all that. This year we observe the 30th anniversary of the licensing and manufacturing of the vaccine discovered by this great American. Even before another successful vaccine was discovered, Dr. Salk's discovery had reduced polio and its effects by 97 percent. Today, polio is not a familiar disease to younger Americans, and many have difficulty appreciating the magnitude of the disorder that the Salk vaccine virtually wiped from the face of the earth. Jonas E. Salk always had a passion for science. It was because of this that he finally chose medicine over law as his career goal. Even after his great discovery, he continued to undertake vital studies and medical research to benefit his fellowman. Under his vision and leadership, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies has been in the forefront of basic biological research, reaping further benefits for mankind and medical science. In recognition of his tremendous contributions to society, particularly for his role in the epochal discovery of the first licensed vaccine for poliomyelitis, and in celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of its mass distribution, the Congress, by House Joint Resolution 258, has designated May 6, 1985, as "Dr. Jonas E. Salk Day'' and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this event. Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 6, 1985, as Dr. Jonas E. Salk Day. I urge the people of the United States to observe the day with appropriate tributes, ceremonies, and activities throughout the Nation and by paying honor, at all times, to this outstanding physician and to his life's work. In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and ninth.
Ronald Reagan [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 3:16 p.m., May 7, 1985] Note: The proclamation was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on May 7.
Dr. Jonas Salk, (Left), received a Gold Medal from a grateful nation and praise from President Eisenhower January 27th 1956, for his "great achievement" in developing a vaccine against polio. Health, Education, and Welfare Secretary Marion Folsom (Right), presents the medal as Rep. Irwin D. Davidson (D-N.Y), (Center), holds the resolution authorizing the medal, which Rep. Davidson introduced and which Congress passed. The Resolution, framed, was also presented to Dr. Salk.
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