A Paralyzing Fear: The Story of Polio in America

Seldom has society come full circle in the cycle of a disease- from illness, to epidemic, to cure. Polio is the 20th century's most notable exception. First appearing in the United States in 1916, the disease crippled tens of thousands of children every summer until it was finally eradicated by the Salk vaccine beginning in 1954. Every baby boomer remembers the terror of the polio epidemic and the thrill when the vaccine was discovered. A PARALYZING FEAR is not only about the disease itself, but also about the effects it had on society as the epidemic struck and people began to fear and shun each other. The film also portrays how the same society converged to meet the challenge of this epidemic and triumph over it. Includes bonus features: Three MiniDocs on Epidemic Disease, Biographies, History of Polio Timeline, and Archival Photo Gallery.