Wednesday, January 18, 2006
David Oshinsky, University of Texas
Polio: A Look Back at the 20th Century's Most Feared Disease
Reception 5:30 PM, Lecture 6:00PM
New York Academy of Medicine-1216 Fifth Ave., New York

This lecture will address how the nation's response to polio revolutionized philanthropy, medical research, and government responsibility for the testing and licensing of vaccines. It also considers the bitter competition for the polio vaccine between Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin, the essential role played by forgotten female polio researchers, and the polio vaccine trials of 1954--the largest public health experiment in American history.

David M. Oshinsky is George Littlefield Professor of American History at the University of Texas at Austin. A leading historian of modern American politics and culture, he is the author of _A Conspiracy So Immense: The World of Joe McCarthy_, and _'Worse Than Slavery: Parchman Farm and the Ordeal of Jim Crow Justice_, both of which won major prizes and were New York Times Notable Books. His most recent book, _Polio: An American Story_, published in 2005, was featured on The Lehrer News Hour, NPR's Science Friday and numerous other national outlets.

----- This event is free and open to the public. CME credit is available. For more information about NYAM programs in the history of medicine, visit our website at http://www.nyam.org/initiatives/im-histe.shtml , write history@nyam.org , or call Christian Warren at 212.822.7314.

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Historical programs at NYAM are supported by the Friends of the Rare Book Room. Please join the Friends! Download a membership form at http://www.nyam.org/initiatives/docs/FRBR_Renewal.pdf .

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