Daniel J. Wilson, PhD
In Memoriam
Dr. Daniel J. Wilson, PhD was Professor Emeritus of History at Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA. He had polio in 1955 and began developing symptoms of Post-Polio Syndrome in 1987. He was the author of several books on the history of Polio including: “Living with Polio: The Epidemic and Its Survivors” (2005) and “Polio: Biography of a Disease” (2009).
He served on the Board of Directors of Post-Polio Health International and was serving as President upon his death in 2021.
Biography
Education:
B.A., The University of Wisconsin - Whitewater (1972)
M.A., The Johns Hopkins University (1974)
Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University (1976)
Teaching Fields:
American Social, Cultural and Intellectual, 19th and 20th Centuries, History of Disease, Medicine, and Public Health
“My graduate training was in the cultural and intellectual history of the United States. Since coming to Muhlenberg in 1978, I taught a wide variety of topics under that general heading. I taught numerous advanced courses including Nineteenth Century America, the Civil War and Reconstruction, Women's History, African-American History, Environmental History and the History of Medicine and Public Health. The topics of my Introductions to History included coming of age in America, the city in American culture, and epidemics in American history.”
“Since the early 1990s I focused my scholarly work on the history of the polio epidemics in the United States. My studies of polio have emphasized the experiences of the individuals who had the disease during the many epidemics prior to the development of the Salk polio vaccine in 1955. To date I have published three books and several articles on the subject.”
“I am also particularly interested in the subject of masculinity and disability and have been active in disability studies.”
Quotes above: Daniel J. Wilson, PhD
Courses Taught:
Nineteenth Century America
American Cultural & Intellectual History: Nineteenth Century
American Cultural & Intellectual History Since 1900 • Disease & Medicine in American History
History of Public Health in America
Gendering in American History Selected
Grants and Awards:
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality / National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship. 2002-2003
National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute on Disability Studies, San Francisco State University, Summer 2000
Beeke-Levy Research Fellowship, The Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, 1993
National Endowment for the Humanities Travel to Collections Grant, 1992
American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship, 1981-82
Class of 1932 Research Professor, Muhlenberg College, 1986-87, 2008-2009
Books:
Living with Polio: The Epidemic and it's Survivors: Available through Amazon and Univ. of Chicago Press
Polio: Biography of a Disease: Available through Amazon
Polio Voices, An Oral History From the American Polio Epidemics and Worldwide Eradication Efforts: Amazon
(Use the Index below to search for specific topics)
Major Epidemics: A C-Span Interview with Daniel J. Wilson, PhD (Video)
Passion, Patience and Perseverance: Comparing the Polio Health Crisis to the COVID-19 Pandemic (Video)
“Polio survivors, and others who need them, will be better off if we can think of assistive technologies as just another modern technology that help us live better and easier lives. Daniel J. Wilson, PhD
“Polio Revisited examines the highly infectious viral disease that caused paralysis and in some cases death for thousands of people, nationally and internationally.” David Wasser
A PBS, WHYY interview with Daniel J. Wilson, PhD
Post-Polio Care: Past, Present and Future. A Conference featuring William M. DeMayo, MD and Daniel J. Wilson, PhD, held in August, 2017, was attended by a live audience of 90+ survivors.
Post-Polio Care: Past, Present and Future: A Conference featuring William M. DeMayo, MD and Daniel J. Wilson, PhD, held in August, 2017, was attended by a live audience of 90+ survivors.
Post-Polio Care: Past, Present and Future: A Conference featuring William M. DeMayo, MD and Daniel J. Wilson, PhD, held in August, 2017, was attended by a live audience of 90+ survivors.
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