Salk’s idea for a polio vaccine was different than what many others at the time believed would be effective because his vaccine consisted of a dead polio virus, while others preferred to use a partially killed virus. The first people to receive the vaccine that Salk developed were himself, his lab scientist, his wife, and their children. After it was determined that they developed anti-polio antibodies and experienced no negative reactions, Salk began to test the vaccine on more people in the Pittsburgh area. Over 600 Allegheny County volunteers, or “Polio Pioneers”, were among the very first to receive the vaccine at The University of Pittsburgh’s Virus Research Laboratory. On October 9, 1953 at the annual meeting of the Academy of Pediatrics, Doctor Jonas Salk announced that 637 children and adults from Allegheny County had received the new vaccine.…