The Lincoln times., 1955-04-14

Anxious Parents Get Good
News: SuIIk Vaccine Safe,
Effective And Very Potent

this year be given only two shots
of vaccine in order to step up the
effectiveness of the vaccine. He
said the shots should be spaced
two to four weeks apart with the
third one delayed for at least
seven months afterWard.
DR.. Salk said he finds the best
protection comes when the shots
are spaced this way instead of
being given all within five weeks
as was done last year.
He SAID some variations in the
vaccination results were apparent
ly due to some bad or impotent
patches of vaccine.
URGES BOOSTER SHOTS
Salk also urged that children
vaccinated last year be given a
booster shot as soon as the vac
cine is available
Licensing of the vaccine by the
National Institutes of Health is
expected within 46 hours to make
possible a quick beginning Of the
huge vaccination program.
1t is estimated there Will be
enough vaccine for 80 million
children. but if DR.. Salk'S recon-
mendation of two shots instead of
three Immediately is followed this
would make possible inocuIation
of As million children.
Some nine million vaccinations
will he supplied free by the Ma
tional Foundation for Infantile
Paralysis-at a cost of nine mil
lion dollars in March of Dimes
monies-to offer free shots for
all children in the first and sec
ond grades of all public parochial
and private schools in the United
State, Alaska and Hawaii.
The free vaccine VIII also be
offered TO children in third grad
es who took part in the bic mass
testing.
The rest will be sold by the
drug firms for administration by
doctors to private patients.
Cost?
One firm is selling three shots
of vaccine for S4.20, others have
announced prices slightly higher
On top of that will be the doc
tors fee for administering it.
Priority?
YOUNGER GROUP FIRST
Several medical societies urged
the vaccine 90 first to children
aged / through the first grade
with the second highest priority
to children of ages through the
fifth grade and thirdly to preg-
nant women. The aim - hit polio
hardest by noculating those most
susceptible. No particular controls
have been announced as to how
this commercial vaccine would be
distributed.
Adults?
A vaccine successful in children
would be successful IN adults
Adults have less need for it. BY
about age IS, most of us have
been exposed already to one or
more of the three dangerous types
of virus and have become immune
What is the vaccine?
A red liquid containing billions
of dead vlruSes, of all three types,
which can cause paralysis in hu-
mans. The killed viruses cannot
cause sickness. but can stimulate
the receiver to make antibodieS
The vaccine has been trlple-test
ed Tor safety and for potency.
How long does 1t protect?
Only time can answer. There
are hopes it might be for years,
perhaps requiring occasional
booster shots.
DIMES AIDED WORK
The vaccine came from re-
search costing some 10 million
dollars IN March of Dimes funds
alone
Already machinery has been set
up to inOculate some 80 million
children this year. The green
light had TO come from DT. Fran
els. who directed the task Of
analyzing nearly $50 million bits
of information on last years test
Everyone knew the findings of
the brilliant young Dr.. Salk, who
had created a safe vaccine of
killed virus. building on the vital
discoveries by others in the long
battle against polio He could
prove the vaccine gave children
antibodies against polio virus.
But only the tests on hundreds
of thousands of children could
show whether the vaccine would
protect those who were exposed
to living polio virus.