After Jonas Salk (1914-1995), in 1955-56, began to administer his anti-polio vaccine (IPV), he was asked about the development of his theory.
He explained, in an interview, "Oh, I first got the idea from a young rabbi in our synagogue when he taught us the the biblical law of tzara'at (leprosy) [Lev. 13-14]. And that started me thinking about polio."
The interviewer then followed with a reasonable inquiry. "Well, why didn't you acknowledge that when you were being considered for the Nobel Prize for Medicine?"
Salk shrugged. "You have to understand our rabbi. He's a very modest fellow. I offered to share the Prize with him--if I would eventually get it. But he refused."
To this day, the general public does not know about this rabbi's important contribution to modern medicine.
- Rabbi Murray Stadtmauer
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