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American Experience: The Polio Crusade DVD

Name: American Experience: The Polio Crusade DVD
Brand: UNIVERSAL SCREEN ARTS
SKU: WB0322
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.8125 (16 reviews)

$24.99

16 Reviews Write a Review

Item #: WB0322

This film interweaves the personal accounts of polio survivors with the story of an ardent crusader who tirelessly fought on their behalf while scientists raced to eradicate this dreaded disease. The Polio Crusade features interviews with historians, scientists, polio survivors, and the only surviving scientist from the core research team that developed the Salk vaccine, Julius Youngner.

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Additional Information

Teacher's Guide

Producer: Sarah Colt Productions
Production Year: 2009
Copyright Year: 2009
Rating: TV-PG
Narrator: Linda Hunt
Number of Discs: 1
Length: 60 minutes
Language Track: English
Audio Format: 5.1 Surround
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 Widescreen

Customer Reviews

4.8 16 Reviews

16 Reviews

Janet

02/05/22

I was a polio victim

I was a polio victim back in 1954; too young to remember. Now this DVD accurately presents that time prior to and after the vaccine.

Ellen S.

08/29/20

Polio Crusade

PBS, As a polio survivor (1951), I found this documentary to be acurate and very informative. I want my children and grandchildren to watch it (Im ordering the DVD)so they can better understand what their mother and grandmother went through as an eight year old - iron lung, braces, physical therapy, burned belongings, quarantined households, separation from family, hospitals and the fear that went along with all that. Thank you for a job well done!

Donnas J.

08/29/20

American Experience: The Polio Crusade D

It was very good. Having lived through the epidemic and my brother and sister both contracted the polio and knowing friends who died from it, it was a powerful recollection of that event. Most young people of today can not concieve of such a thing. Actually there is no way to inform and alarm them.

Id M.

08/29/20

Missing important information

The documentary left out the essential contribution of Drs. John Enders, Frederick Robbins, and Thomas Weller. Without their discovery of how to grow polio in cell culture, Sabin and Salk would not have been able to scale up the production of their vaccines. Of note, neither Salk nor Sabin were awarded the Nobel Prize for their work on polio; Enders, Robbins and Weller did receive the award for their novel contributions to science and medicine.

Kisstheskykneel

08/29/20

Polio Trauma, human rights

This video hit close to home as I myself am a polio survivor. I never paid much attention to the history of the disease and the politics involved in getting the vaccine out. The fact that insensible children were used as guinea pigs for the vaccine was totally new to me. Today that would never happen. Who knows which is worse, the rights we hold dear today or an epidemic allowed to run rampant. Good show.

Lean N.

08/29/20

A very well presented documentary.

As an individual from the class of 1951 of polio victims,I found this program a sensitive,and infomative program.I learned new things and gained new insights regarding this part of my history,and Americas. This show should be part of any social history class at the high school,and college level.

Patty N.

08/29/20

A moving video of healthcare pioneers!

I purchased this video to show to my college Intro to Healthcare class. Students of all ages were moved deeply by this presentation of the US polio epidemic the political medical pioneers who blazed the trail for us. As a baby boomer I recall most of these events, but grew in my appreciation for what is now simply a vaccination for children. Thank you!!

Quincy

08/29/20

A Milestone in the History of Medicine

An accurate fascinating account of a national effort that succeeded against a horrible disease ... you didnt have to be of that era to appreciate the importance of this work to our welfare, history is the great teacher of life.(Pope John XXIII)

Ann K.

08/29/20

Innovative and daring documentary

I already own another documentary on polio, A Paralyzing Fear, which I enjoy and value for its content and its contributors, but The Polio Crusade is the only documentary I have seen which mentions Jonas Salks use of institutionalized, disabled children as research subjects. That aspect of the film, and the fact that Kathryn Black is one of the major voices in the film (I have read and love her autobiography/social history _In The Shadow of Polio_), makes this a must-have for my medical history/disability studies collection.

A M.

08/29/20

American Experience: The Polio Crusade

My daughter had polio. Thank you Pbs!!!!!!!!!!! I have been waiting for this documentary for 59 years. I want my granddaughters to view this DVD and realize what their mother lived through. She was one of the fortunate ones and will celebrate her 61st birthday this month.

Skatergirl

08/29/20

Excellent documentary!

Unbelievable footage recording the history. I wish that the nations anti-vaccine groups would watch this!

Dee

08/29/20

Polio...there is more to be covered!

I contracted Polio three months before the Saulk vaccine became available. I am one of the lucky ones though. I did however end up being diagnosed with Post Polio Syndrome in 2004. This can come about 50 years after having Polio. I am buying the DVD on Polio and would love to see you do a follow-up with the Post Polio Syndrome. The gentleman who mentioned the Rotary Club that has been involved in trying to eradacate Polio worldwide should also be included, should you decide to do a follow-up program. I hope you will! Respectfully, D. Moir

Austin T.

07/17/20

BUY IT!

PBS did an excellent job as usual! As a child of a polio survior (msp) the story shown was one that I heard growing up. As I watched the documentary I called my mother and we began discussing it as I watched it.

Donnafonna

07/17/20

Polio Crusade

Fascinating and so well done as so many of the PBS documentaries.

Russ

07/17/20

Goodbye Polio

Excellant - Should have finished with te present situation of Rotary partners close to eradicating the disease worlwide.

Pondman

07/17/20

Really holds your attention

As a polio survivor(1953) I Learned just how much terror this virus caused and the desire to do whatever to halt its spread.

Highlighted Customer Reviews

Pondman reviewed American Experience: The Polio Crusade DVD

Really holds your attention

As a polio survivor(1953) I Learned just how much terror this virus caused and the desire to do whatever to halt its spread.

Russ reviewed American Experience: The Polio Crusade DVD

Goodbye Polio

Excellant - Should have finished with te present situation of Rotary partners close to eradicating the disease worlwide.

Donnafonna reviewed American Experience: The Polio Crusade DVD

Polio Crusade

Fascinating and so well done as so many of the PBS documentaries.