Polo Pioneers - The Randig Family
The Randig Family
I got polio in the Fall of 1952. When the field trials started in the spring of 1954, Dr. Salk returned to the D.T. Watson Home seeking volunteers to be injected with his polio vaccine. I had been released only a few months earlier and was asked to be a part of the vaccine trial. My parents decided to volunteer our entire family (themselves included), feeling strongly that it was the right thing to do. Before we were given the polio vaccine blood was drawn to determine if we had the polio antibody in our blood. This was all done under the close supervision of Dr. Salk.
Over the spring and summer of 1954, we were injected with three doses of the polio vaccine. My parents felt strongly that we should participate in Dr. Salk’s ongoing study. Through the next six years my family would make the annual 60-mile round trip from Butler to Sewickley so they could draw our blood to monitor the continued presence of the polio antibody.
Toward the end of Dr. Salk's monitoring of what became known as the "Watson Home Group," he sent out a letter of appreciation to all participants. Here are a few quotes from that letter on University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine stationery dated May 1961:
"You must know how important has been your contribution to the development of the polio vaccine. You know, too of my deep appreciation for the spirit in which you volunteered and for your willingness to submit to the procedures required to obtain the information we needed . . . It was this group that made possible the development of the polio vaccine prior to the large scale field-trials. …I am, of course pleased that our studies on polio are coming to an end. However I will miss the opportunity to see you each year. …It gives us faith that people can sacrifice and cooperate - not only for their own well-being but to help advance knowledge that will be of benefit to others as well."
Portions of this are from an article submitted by Joe Randig and published on August 23,2023.
“He was just a child, but helped Dr. Salk develop the Polio Vaccine.”