Polio and Its Aftermath: The Paralysis of Culture

Itwasnotlongagothatscientistsproclaimedvictoryoverpolio，thedreaddiseaseofthe1950s.Morerecentlypolioresurfaced，notconqueredatall，spreadingacrossthecountriesofAfrica.Asweonceagainfacethespecterofthisdisease，alongwithotherkillerslikeAIDSandSARS，thispowerfulbookremindsusofthepersonalcost，theculturalimplications，andthehistoricalsignificanceofoneofmodernhumanity'sdeadliestbiologicalenemies.InPolioandItsAftermathMarcShell，himselfavictimofpolio，offersaninspiredanalysisofthedisease.Partmemoir，partculturalcriticismandhistory，partmeditationonthemeaningofdisease，Shell'sworkcombinestheunderstandingofamedicalresearcherwiththesensitivityofaliterarycritic.Hedeftlydrawsadetailedyetbroadpictureofthelivedexperienceofacripplingdiseaseasitmakesitwayintoeveryfacetofhumanexistence.PolioandItsAftermathconveysthewidespreadpanicthatstruckasthediseaseswepttheworldinthemid-fifties.ItcapturesanatmosphereinwhichpolioviedwiththeColdWarasthegreatestcauseofunrestinNorthAmerica--andinwhichastrangeandoftendebilitatinguncertaintywasoneofthedisease'ssalientbutleasttreatablesymptoms.Polioparticularlyafflictedtheyoung，andShellexploreswhatthismeanttofamiliesandcommunities.Andherevealswhy，inspiteoftheworldwidereliefthatgreetedJonasSalk'svaccineasamiracleofmodernscience，wehavemuchmoretofearfrompolionowthanweknow.