Polio Banished

Your editorial “A Frightful Disease Is Banished” (Oct. 1) elicited memories of a terrifying day in 1950 when we rushed our 13-month-old son to the Communicable Diseases building at Los Angeles County Hospital, where we were given the dreaded diagnosis, “polio.” After four months of daily visits, he was able to be removed from the iron lung and was breathing without assistance. Multiple surgeries and physical and mental anguish were part of his childhood and teen-age years.

There are memories, too, of many others--the brave, young woman whose two young children and husband were patients there, the beautiful little girl named Claudia who stared at us from the iron lung next to our son’s. They became parts of our lives.

What a wonderful day when the World Health Organization declared the Western Hemisphere to be free from polio! Thank you, Dr. Jonas Salk and Dr. Albert Sabin, from our hearts. Thank you, too, to the March of Dimes; without it we could not have survived. Our son, who is now 45 years of age and enjoying life, thanks you, too!

CAROL TABER

Santa Maria