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How Science Conquered Diphtheria: The Contribution of Balto a Siberian Husky [1]
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Date: 2025-06-30
A statue of Balto located in Central Park, NY, dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed antitoxin six hundred miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters, through Arctic blizzards from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome in the Winter of 1925. Endurance · Fidelity · Intelligence
What is for dinner? How are you doing? What is on your mind. If you are new to Street Prophets please introduce yourself below in a comment.
This is an Open Thread / Coffee Hour and all topics of conversation are welcome.For today's suggested topic lets consider the contribution of Balto, a Siberian Husky, to helping science almost eliminate diphtheria.
The October, 2021, issue of Smithsonian Magazine has an article on the history of the development of treatments for diphtheria in this article: How Science Conquered Diphtheria, the Plague Among Children. The article is lengthy and covers the history of the development of the treatment. Although crude by today's standards it was effective. The “serum” consisted of a bit of the toxin generated by the diphtheria bacteria and antibodies that would fight the bacteria that were grown in horses.
Nome, Alaska, had an outbreak of diphtheria and the serum needed to mitigate the epidemic was available in Anchorage. The only plane available to fly the serum to Nome was out of commission due to a frozen engine.
It was decided by officials the only way to get the serum to Nome was via a 674 mile multiple dog sled effort. Jump the fold for a bit more about our topic for today and a short 3 minute video.
If you are new to Street Prophets please introduce yourself beyond the fold in a comment. This is an Open Thread / Coffee Hour and all topics of conversation are welcome.
The comments for this article are are after community links and its sub thread.
Beyond the fold lets serve up our favorite beverages, There are cookies for everyone, and conversation. What is for dinner? How are you doing? And, What is on your mind today?
This is a Open Thread / Coffee Hour.
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