Show I Dr Dr Salk Portrait o of a Worker ET l L S pay Utile little the heed awed to 10 s a if lIre lively sense eme of 01 not nol old enough to 10 t oh recognition pay humor pontificate ale Dr Jonas Salk who will direct the Salk Institute for Biological Studies at San Diego Calif is a modest man he He pays little heed to the world-wide world recognition of his right to be ranked among Americas America's leading scientists The man who developed the Salk vaccine against polio pollo and thus unquestionably saved tens ten of thousands of lives impatiently impatiently impatiently waves aside any suggestions suggestions sug sug- that his role was historic his his- In one of few Interviews he has granted he has said sald with respect to the vaccine I happened to be in the right place to catch a long forward forward forward for for- ward pass He lIe added in effect that instead Instead instead in in- stead of receiving accolades he lie would far rather devote his time to his work i Plans Flans Center CenterI I I As long a ago ado o as 1950 1958 a year after his polio vaccine was declared declared declared de de- safe potent and effective effective tive Dr Salk turned his thoughts toward creating a center for biological research where outstanding scientists in the fundamental disciplines would carry carryon on their work in an an atmosphere of i intellectual imagination heightened by the presence of their fellow workers work work- ers Some biographers note a contradiction in this scientist who for many years has acted as if ii an hour day was nothIng nothing noth noth- nothing ing extraordinary If he is modest when in the public view he is the opposite in the laboratory laboratory gregarIous gregarious yet siny sin sin- mindedly gle-mindedly le intent on reachIng reaching reaching reach reach- ing his goaL The director and first head of the Salk Institute to which he has already attracted eminent eminent eminent emi emi- nent scholars will be this relatively relatively rel rel- young scientist who is now 47 Dr Salk bad and his wife the former Donna Lindsay have three sons The doctor is I of average height and build with dark eyes and hair He lie has a lively sense of humor apparent even tit fit anecdotes told at his expense and a aready aready aready ready and engaging smile lie He Heis lieis liels is ls conservative in dress but is constantly chided about not owning a hat Has lias Busy Schedule Dr Salk's schedule permits him little time to relax relax relax-at at the moment he is studying the basic nature of viruses and of cells but when he does repose the companions of his leisure are often the works of Bach and Beethoven The eldest of three sons Dr Salk was born in New York Mork City in 1914 1014 At an early age there were evidences of unusual unusual un un- usual ability which led him to Townsend Harris High School a school chool for talented young people He lIe graduated from City College of New York and entered New York University College of ot Medicine when not yet 20 A March of Dimes fel fel- took him to the Uni Uni- University verity of Michigan and to the laboratory of Dr Thomas Francis Jr Jr a leading virologist virologist gist elst and epidemiologist In 1947 he joined the University University University Uni Uni- of Pittsburgh as associate associate associate as as- research professor of ot bacteriology and director of its virus research laboratory In 1949 working under a Ma Mach Machof ch of Dimes virnes grant iD involving 1 s1- in ri which three other 1 universities joined he first entered the battle against polio pOll Develops Polio Folio Vaccine The subsequent development developing of the polio vaccine by Dr Salk requires no retelling In recognition of this work and other contributions contribution the thc State of Pennsylvania in 1955 created for Dr Salk the chair of Com 1 I 1 J Professor of Preventive Preventive Pre Pre- Medicine at the University Uni Uni- of Pittsburgh Asked recently how he arrIved arrived arrived ar ar- ar- ar rived at scientific c research as a lifetime work he explained I 1 really entered medical school with the idea of doin doing research and I 1 never change changed my mind mina Its It's a way of projecting projecting project project- ing yourself ahead of yourself I 1 suppose and there was something appealing in the search for understanding that had some bearing on human problems I guess I 1 felt the unreasonableness unreasonableness unreasonableness un un- reasonableness of life in so many ways Research was one way to get at reason and logic He lIe succeeds in devoting some hours to his family But Dut he has no time for distractions such as those presented by in interviewers interviewers in- in who want to give him what he regards as undeserved undeserved undeserved unde unde- served renown Devoted to Work As to the unending flow of invitations he receives these days day to speak on almost any subject his honest reaction is that Im still young enough to work and I 1 have havo much to do And I am not old enough to pontificate In 1956 after he was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal in ceremonies at Washington DC D.C. Dr Salk expressed ed his apprecIation appreciation ap op predation in these few words that tell much about the man The community needed a bell tower to warn its people against attack Everyone helped to build it and the whole was I greater than the sum of its parts paris When it was finished the feeling of gratitude of each man for his neighbor for what each had contributed was showered shower d upon but one one and and he was among the last to con con- tribute But Dut all knew that the end could not have lave come without without without with with- out the beginning and without all that had transpired in be- be tween |