The Sugar Cube Vaccination

Tommy Towery

LHS '64

I was looking back through my book "A Million Tomorrows - Memories of the Class of '64" and came upon an entry for December 8, 1963, which included the statement "Got up and went to church.  After church, I went and got my second lump of sugar with Sabin Vaccine on it."

Having gone through the last two years with Covid-19 vaccines and boosters affecting our lives the way they have, it was interesting to think back on this event in our lives. I really do not remember knowing how much our health was in danger, even though we had classmates who had suffered the effects of polio.

The Passport Health website explains, "We all have some form of understanding of what a vaccine is and how it is administered. It is typically given through a syringe, usually injected into a muscle, whether that be the arm, thigh, or gluteus. There are some exceptions, as there are oral vaccinations as well. But, there was a time when there was a different kind of vaccination for an epidemic that was affecting children all across the United States, and that illness was polio.

Approximately 60 years ago, polio was sweeping the nation. It was generally contracted through exposure to water that had fecal matter in it, and if ingested, people were at risk for polio, if they were not vaccinated. Children that were affected were even sometimes taken to isolation hospitals, away from their families, where they were treated for the illness. It wasn’t until the mid-1950’s that a vaccine for the disease was found.

In 1955, Dr. Jonas Salk, from the University of Pittsburgh created the very first polio vaccine. It was an inactive polio virus that was administered by injection. In 1954, Salk inoculated 137 students from Arsenal Elementary School in Pittsburgh. Results showed a year later that the vaccine was effective. Parents everywhere wanted to get their children inoculated against polio.

Dr. Albert Sabin, of the Children’s Hospital Research Foundation in Cincinnati, Ohio found a brand-new way to vaccinate children against polio – and it involved a sugar cube. Using a weakened version of the live virus, this new vaccine was able to be taken orally. It only took a small drop of the vaccine, dropped onto a sugar cube. Then, it was administered to the children. It was quick and easy.

When parents got word of this new vaccine, they flocked to local schools, churches, fire stations, and other public meeting places, where the vaccines were being administered. Sabin’s vaccine quickly became the vaccine of choice, as it cost less money to make and was easier to produce. Lines snaked around buildings offering the vaccine as families lined up to make sure their children were protected.

Since both vaccines were released, polio has been virtually eradicated across the globe. However, there is still no cure for polio if one contracts it. But many will never forget their polio vaccination with a simple little sugar cube. The contributions of Dr. Salk and Dr. Sabin will forever be remembered in the world of medicine and the eradication of polio."

I am back to normal again, having put the Covid and respiratory problems behind me. Thank goodness it was a mild Covid case, especially after looking back at all the very serious problems and deaths occurring from earlier cases.

This week's feature is about the polio epidemic we faced as teenagers and how uninformed I was about the serious threat it posed.

We had some great feedback on last week's feature on the University of North Alabama. Thanks to all who responded.

Last Week's Questions, Answers, and Comments

Mike Acree, LHS ‘64, "I have two vivid memories of strong language at Lee.  (a) One was in Miss Broom's French 1 class.  While she was lecturing, some guys in the back row were shooting spitballs through straws to splat against the blackboard behind her.  Poor, flustered Miss Broom clearly meant to say, "Quit shooting spitballs"; what came out was, "Quit spitting shit balls."  (b) Mrs. Lowery once intended to say "Bonaparte," but said, "Bonafarte."  I laughed, and she paddled me."

(Editor's Note: Mike, it is funny but that incident from Mrs. Broom's French class was one of the first things that came to my mind when I posed the question about cussing in school. I was sitting in her class when she blurted that famous line out!"

Linda Norris Lee,  LHS ‘64, "I attended FSU from 1965-69. My brother and sister also graduated from there. It's a beautiful campus and I'm sure much has changed since my time earning my Elem. Education degree! Enjoyed reading the history! Thank you!"

Darla Gentry Steinberg, LHS ‘66, "I enjoyed reading the history of the University of North Alabama - it was all new to me. I attended UNA along with many other Lee graduates. It was always fun seeing familiar faces while also meeting new friends. After years as a flight attendant and stay-at-home mom, I finally dusted off that teaching degree I earned and retired as a teacher. UNA was a good choice for me."

David Mullins, "LHS ‘64, "Don Cornelius of course, as you previously noted, was from our 61-62-63 Lee General football teams. Others who were also from those same Lee teams were Jerry Schultz and Mike Chisholm for the full four years. David Mullins was there briefly. Of course it is important to remember that our Lee head football coach, Bill Godsey played there as well."

Pamela Grooms Smith,  LHS '65, "Tommy there were a lot of Lee students that went to UNA in 1965 from the class of '65. I know for sure that Toni Ivey, Cindy Powell, Patty Pagano, and I all lived in the same dorm. There were lots of other Lee students and many of them played sports like Don Cornelious, Mike Chisholm, Wayne Deason, and others. I have three degrees from UNA. and both my children have degrees from UNA we have all enjoyed our college experience We also have one granddaughter there now and plan to send the other one in the fall. Thanks for thinking abort UNA it is a great school."

Elaine Lucas Hubbard, LHS ‘66, "I went to Florence my first year at college and finished with a theatre degree from Charter Oak College in Hartford, CT.  Vernon, my brother, class of '64, finished at Florence in '68 and went on to work for Coca-Cola, the only employer he ever had.  He was a chemist and worked in the bottling operation all over the world.  He started in Atlanta at headquarters.   At one point, the family was stationed in New South Wales, Australia, then on to Slough, England, maintaining plants in Belgium, the UK, France, and the Netherlands.  At Florence,  we at one point had a mutual chemistry class, but he was the true scientist.  My heart was elsewhere.  We both had Mr. Fox for chemistry and Mrs. Hall for biology at Lee.  He's been gone nearly 10 years now and is sorely missed."

Phyllis (Miller) Rodgers, LHS ‘65, "In 1995, 30 years after graduating from FSU, six of us roommates/dorm friends reunited for a fun-filled weekend in Myrtle Beach, SC.  What began as a 5-year tradition eventually turned into a yearly reunion in 2010, with the exception of 2020.   During Covid we started a weekly Zoom meeting and have continued it in addition to the reunions. We come together from AL, GA, SC, FL, VA, and ME.  These are true Friends Forever.  Beth (McNabb) Weinbaum, Sally (Price) Rice, Gaye (Patterson) Johnson, and Linda (Norris) Lee and I have remained friends since our days at Lee. It’s truly a blessing to still have these relationships after 60 years."

     Cleve Smith, LHS ‘66, "My wife, an Athens graduate,  and I graduated from Florence State University along with several of our high school classmates."