Telegram from President Gerald R. Ford to the American Humanist Association Regarding Dr. Jonas Salk

WU INFOMASTER WHITEHOUSE WSH 010707C12 1054EST 001 DLY GOVT LUBB OCK TX WHITE HOUSE APR 30 PMS MR PAUL KURTZ, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, DLR DONT DWR AMERICAN HUMANIST ASSOCIATION C/O WESTERN NEW YORK CHAPTER 923 KENSIGTON AVE BUFFALO NY 14215 IN JUST TWENTY-ONE YEARS, THE TIME IT TAKES A CHILD TO GROW UP. . POLIO MYELITIS HAS BEEN CONQUERED IN THIS COUNTRY. PREVIOUSLY PARENTS APPROACHED THE SUMMER SEASON WITH DREAD, WONDERING IF THEIR CHILD WOULD BE ONE OF POLIO'S VICTIMS; AND. SUMMER AFTER SUMMER, PARENTS OF MORE THAN EIGHTEEN THOUSAND CHILDREN SAW THEIR WORST FEARS COME TRUE. THE MAN YOU ARE NOW HONORING WITH THE HUMANIST OF THE YEAR AWARD, DR. JONAS EDWARD SALK HELPED BRING ALL THAT WORRY TO AN END. IN 1954 HIS TEAM DEVELOPÉD THE WORLD S FIRST POLIO VACCINE. IT BEGAN TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN 1955 AND, OVER THE FIRST SEVEN YEARS OF ITS USE, IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED THAT THE SALK VACCINE PREVENTED ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FOUR THOUSAND CASES OF PARALYTIC POLIO: THAT IS ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FOUR THOUSAND HEALTHY YOUNG AMERICANS WHO, WITHOUT DR. SALK, TODAY WOULD BE DEAD OR CRIPPLED. THE AMERICAN HUMANIST ASSOCIATION COULD NOT HAVE CHOSEN A FINER MAN TO HONOR FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO HUMAN HEALTH. HIS ACHIEVE- MENTS ARE AN ENDURING CREDIT TO OUR COUNTRY AND AN IMMEASURABLE SERVICE TO ALL MANKIND. IT IS MOST APPROPRIATE THAT A GREAT NAT- IONAL ORGANIZATION WITH SUCH AN INSPIRING REPUTATION FOR HUMANI- TARIAN CONCERN IS GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR HIM. I GERALD R. FORD ACCEPTED 00001 1-PC P