How We Almost Got Rid of Polio

Looking back 300 years on, it’s easy to overgeneralize why the Salem Villagers decided to persecute (and execute) their neighbors. But as much as this story has become an American history chestnut, we still don’t understand why Salem lost its mind. Listen to this classic episode ...  Show more

Get yourself ready to freak out with this year’s extra-freak Halloween freak-fest, starring the voice acting talents of Chuck and Josh. This year we feature stories from WW Jacobs and WF Harvey, both of whom, if they were alive, would love this episode.See omnystudio.com/listener ...  Show more

For much of human history, polio was absolutely terrifying. People weren't sure how it spread, they had no idea how to treat it, and they realized anyone could be infected. This changed with the emergence of polio vaccination, which was considered, for the most part, a massive su ...  Show more

In the 1950s, polio spread throughout the United States. Heartbreakingly, it affected mainly children. Thousands died. Thousands more were paralyzed. Many ended up surviving only in iron lungs, a machine that breathed for polio victims, sometimes for years. Scientists raced to fi ...  Show more

This 2011 episode from prior hosts Sarah and Deblina covers polio, a threat in the early 20th century that often left victims paralyzed or dead. Vaccines caused an immediate drop in polio cases and today have nearly eradicated the disease. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy ...  Show more