23 February - The first mass inoculation of children against polio with the Salk vaccine began in Pittsburgh.

 

On February 23, 1954, the first large-scale trial of the polio vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk began in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The trial involved nearly 2 million children, known as the "Polio Pioneers," who received the vaccine. This marked a significant step in the fight against polio, a debilitating and potentially deadly disease that had caused widespread fear and epidemics. The success of the trial eventually led to the widespread use of the Salk vaccine, which played a crucial role in the near-eradication of polio in many parts of the world.