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Introduction <p>Writing the history of polio - or of any disease - requires more than a clinical account of its causes, symptoms, and progression. It also demands an exploration of how illness is experienced by individuals and interpreted by society. Beyond defining disease as a biological dysfunction, it is essential to consider the patient’s lived experience, shaped not only by personal suffering but also by cultural frameworks that influence how that suffering is understood and expressed. Equally important is the societal lens through which illness is viewed and contextualized.</p> Objective <p>This article focuses on a pivotal chapter in the history of polio: the era preceding the advent of vaccines in the mid-twentieth century. Its aim is to illuminate not only the medical dimensions of the disease but also the collective emotions it evoked - fear, grief, and hope - in response to a condition that could lead to death after a prolonged and agonizing course, often leaving survivors with lasting impairments. </p> Methods <p>To capture the depth of human response to polio, the article draws upon a rich tapestry of artistic expression, including literature, photography, and painting. </p> Conclusion <p>Through these mediums, they seek to reveal the most authentic reflections of the human soul, underscoring art’s unique ability to convey the emotional truths of illness.</p>

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Poliomyelitis, the years before vaccination. A reading through art

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月12日

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  • Mariano Martini,
  • Francesco Brigo,
  • Carola Minet,
  • Davide Orsini

摘要

Introduction

Writing the history of polio - or of any disease - requires more than a clinical account of its causes, symptoms, and progression. It also demands an exploration of how illness is experienced by individuals and interpreted by society. Beyond defining disease as a biological dysfunction, it is essential to consider the patient’s lived experience, shaped not only by personal suffering but also by cultural frameworks that influence how that suffering is understood and expressed. Equally important is the societal lens through which illness is viewed and contextualized.

Objective

This article focuses on a pivotal chapter in the history of polio: the era preceding the advent of vaccines in the mid-twentieth century. Its aim is to illuminate not only the medical dimensions of the disease but also the collective emotions it evoked - fear, grief, and hope - in response to a condition that could lead to death after a prolonged and agonizing course, often leaving survivors with lasting impairments.

Methods

To capture the depth of human response to polio, the article draws upon a rich tapestry of artistic expression, including literature, photography, and painting.

Conclusion

Through these mediums, they seek to reveal the most authentic reflections of the human soul, underscoring art’s unique ability to convey the emotional truths of illness.