Dr. Polio: Revisiting FDR's Medical Legacy

Abstract

The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP), the March of Dimes, and the Georgia Warm Springs Resort were reflections of Franklin D. Roosevelt's (FDR) complicated and personal relationship with polio. Between 1934 and 1957, significant advances were made in the care of polio survivors, and new and innovative medical fields gained both public attention and funding. The plight of disabled Americans and questions of accessibility also received widespread national attention. The NFIP helped establish a new prototype for grassroots philanthropy and personified FDR's vision for national health insurance. Drawing upon a variety of archival and primary sources, this article aims to revisit Roosevelt's contribution to the medical field. Rather than condone or defend FDR's public persona as a survivor of polio, this article argues that Roosevelt and his affiliated organizations played an important medical role during this period.