Preface and Acknowledgments

Abstract

This is not a biography of Jonas Salk, nor is it a new version of the story of the polio vaccine. Further, the Salk Institute did not commission this work and it is not a job for hire. This book is a labor of love. It is a personal account of the origins and early days of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. This remarkable story has never been told, but the fi ftieth anniversary of the beginning of the institute’s operation—July 1, 1963—makes it timely. This is not a story about the science of the institute; rather, it is about the people. Many of the characters have passed away, but I knew them all and some were my friends. (I can hardly deny that one of the founders is my husband of fi fty years. If that makes my account suspect of bias, so be it.) This account is based on facts that I have painstakingly researched in various archives and in my diary. Archives do not forget or distort the facts; they also do not often tell how and why things happen. Because of my long involvement with the institute and its people, I have been able to collect candid interviews and conduct revealing informal conversations that complement my archival research. The weaving of the events into this story, the choice of facts, and their interpretation are mine. They are based on my experience as a witness and participant in the history of the Salk Institute since 1961, before its inception. That is what puts me in the unique position to narrate this epic. The historical backdrop for the genesis of the Salk Institute includes World War II, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War. My own upbringing Preface and Acknowledgments