Polio - Jerry - 1952

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POLIO 1952: How the half empty glass turned into the half full glass for Jerry Hammes.

Jerry first noticed the symptoms while a junior at Notre Dame in 1952 but went to Ft. Lauderdale on spring break anyway thinking he was just very tired of school . . . which was correct. Upon return it got worse and he fell asleep in classes . . . also boredom. During the finals on religion he was headed in the South Dining Hall being monitored by the gastro type and he was in a constant sweat for at least an hour when he departed without completing the blue book.

That summer he was admitted to the Children's Hospital for a spinal tap by Dr. Ray Spenner, MD. The hospital was located on the south east corner of Notre Dame Avenue and Angela Blvd, now the site of the ND IU Medical building.

Upon entering the hospital in was immediately apparent how bad the polio situation had affected the country. One patient rooms with 3. The halls and passageways were filled with gurneys and with only several iron lungs available for hundreds of patients needs. Jerry was lucky. He was not in need. Do to the situation he was discharged and sent home for rest. No medication for this situation or vaccine yet.

His recovery was complete so much that it was not a deterrent for him to be deferred from the draft in the fall of 1953. Dr. Spenner would not write a letter for deferment and he was correct. He also was a veteran of WWI and did the M*A*S*H thing in bloody Europe which influenced his decision not to bend . . serve your country! He also knew it was time Jerry leave the nest and grow up. He was correct again and the Army did it. Thank you Dr. Spenner for doing the correct thing for me. . I'm not sure for the Army though.

Fn. The Center For Disease Control remains the same since 1952 with matters important to the citizens. i.e. flu 2005. Bureaucrats Control