Editing Polio (section)

=== Passive immunization ===
In 1950, [[William Hammon]] at the [[University of Pittsburgh]] purified the [[gamma globulin]] component of the [[blood plasma]] of polio survivors.<ref name=Hammon_1955>{{cite journal | vauthors = Hammon WM | title = Passive immunization against poliomyelitis | journal = Monograph Series. World Health Organization | volume = 26 | pages = 357–70 | year = 1955 | pmid = 14374581 }}</ref> Hammon proposed the gamma globulin, which contained antibodies to poliovirus, could be used to halt poliovirus infection, prevent disease, and reduce the severity of disease in other patients who had contracted polio. The results of a large [[clinical trial]] were promising; the gamma globulin was shown to be about 80 percent effective in preventing the development of paralytic poliomyelitis.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Hammon WM, Coriell LL, Ludwig EH, McAllister RM, Greene AE, Sather GE, Wehrle PF | title = Evaluation of Red Cross gamma globulin as a prophylactic agent for poliomyelitis. 5. Reanalysis of results based on laboratory-confirmed cases | journal = Journal of the American Medical Association | volume = 156 | issue = 1 | pages = 21–27 | date = September 1954 | pmid = 13183798 | doi = 10.1001/jama.1954.02950010023009 }}</ref> It was also shown to reduce the severity of the disease in patients who developed polio.<ref name=Hammon_1955 /> Due to the limited supply of blood plasma gamma globulin was later deemed impractical for widespread use and the medical community focused on the development of a polio vaccine.<ref name=Rinaldo>{{cite journal | vauthors = Rinaldo CR | title = Passive immunization against poliomyelitis: the Hammon gamma globulin field trials, 1951–1953 | journal = American Journal of Public Health | volume = 95 | issue = 5 | pages = 790–99 | date = May 2005 | pmid = 15855454 | pmc = 1449257 | doi = 10.2105/AJPH.2004.040790 }}</ref>