Y4001

Distinguished Americans

Dr. Albert Sabin - Oral Polio Vaccine

Collins Cover Announcement 

Albert Sabin — 87c High Value

Distinguished Americans Series

This gifted scientist developed an oral vaccine for the dreaded disease polio. His fellow researcher Jonas Salk created a vaccine that was very effective in preventing most of the complications of polio but which did not prevent the infection from occurring. Sabin used a live virus in developing his preventive treatment, and it worked to completely stop the intestinal infection from occurring. The Albert Sabin vaccine eliminated polio from the United States.

Born in Russia, Sabin became a naturalized citizen of America in 1930. A degree in medicine was earned from New York University in 1931. In the 1930s, he worked in the areas of internal medicine, surgery, pathology, and research at Bellevue Hospital, the Lister Institute, and the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research. In 1939 he became associated with the Cincinnati Children's Hospital. As a lieutenant colonel in the Army Medical Corps-in World War II, he developed several vaccines. By 1946, he was the head of pediatric research at his Cincinnati hospital.

In the mid-1950s, he developed his polio vaccine, and international testing began through the World Health Organization in 1957. Large groups of children in Holland, Russia, Japan, Mexico, Sweden, and Chile received it In 1961, the United States Public Health Service endorsed his product, and the rest is history.

My individually hand painted cachets show a pensive Sabin sitting by his research microscope. Two healthy children and their puppy play with a soccer ball on a screen. This cover actually has a very nice visual appearance, and I'm especially happy with the realistic portrait that honors this great American scientist. Albert Bruce Sabin — Collins # Y4001 — $13.75.