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02-04-2020, 03:02 AM
On this day in 1899, Annie Jean Macnamara — who would later be given the formal title of dame — was born in Victoria, Australia. Having graduated medical school at the age of 23 and joining Royal Children’s Hospital a year later, Macnamara arrived just before the hospital faced a polio outbreak.
Witnessing firsthand the effect of the poliovirus on children, Macnamara put in significant work to finding a vaccine for polio, including helping to discover that there was more than one strain of the virus. Jean Macnamara’s efforts had a direct impact on the development of the polio vaccine in 1955, ultimately earning her the award of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Witnessing firsthand the effect of the poliovirus on children, Macnamara put in significant work to finding a vaccine for polio, including helping to discover that there was more than one strain of the virus. Jean Macnamara’s efforts had a direct impact on the development of the polio vaccine in 1955, ultimately earning her the award of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.