The son of Russian–Jewish immigrants, Jonas Salk
Britannica –
“American physician and medical researcher who developed the first safe and effective vaccine for polio.
Salk received his M.D. in 1939 from New York University College of Medicine, where he worked with Thomas Francis, Jr., who was conducting killed–virus immunology studies. Salk joined Francis in 1942 at the University of Michigan School of Public Health and became part of a group that was working to develop an immunization against influenza.
In 1954 Francis conducted a mass field trial, and the vaccine, injected by needle, was found to safely reduce the incidence of polio. On April 12, 1955, the vaccine was released for use in the United States. Salk’s polio vaccine was superseded in 1960 by the live–virus oral vaccine developed by Albert Sabin.” [See 1957 CE: SABIN]
On Edward R. Murrow program See It Now in 1955, Salk was asked “Who owns the patent on this vaccine?” Surprised by the questioner’s assumption that patents and profit were factors, Salk responded: “There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?”
Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/519425/Jonas–Edward–Salk (accessed April 5, 2009)