This very interesting documentary is part of the series “American Experience”.

It interweaves the personal accounts of polio survivors with the story of an ardent crusader who tirelessly fought on their behalf while scientists raced to eradicate this dreaded disease. The Polio Crusade features interviews with historians, scientists, polio survivors, and the only surviving scientist from the core research team that developed the Salk vaccine, Julius Youngner.

Based in part on David Oshinsky’s Pulitzer Price-winning book, “Polio: An American Story”, this one-hour film chronicles a decades-long crusade, fueled by the bold leadership of a single philanthropy and its public relations campaign, and features a bitter battle between two scientists and the breakthrough of a forgotten woman researcher.

You can watch it on www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/polio.

On the site you also find the complete transcript of the film. Unfortunately the DVD of the film can only be ordered in the Us and Canada.