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By Cynthia Marie Aponte
Collection Overview
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Newspaper clippings and photographs taken during polio vaccinations in Hampton Roads from 1954 to 1957.
Collection Historical Note
During the mid-1950s, Norfolk County saw a significant undertaking to vaccinate every citizen against polio. Mr. Barnes, who at this time was an Eli Lilly drug representative, in 1956-1957 took part in the local effort to educate and encourage the public to get inoculated against polio. Local health officials and groups geared up to give the first shot of the polio vaccine to local residents. Barnes traveled constantly around the southside Hampton Roads community speaking to civic groups and appearing on local media outlet programs in his effort to educate local residents about the polio vaccine. On March 11, 1957, Norfolk Public Health Director Dr. John M. Huff stated that there were roughly 130,000 to 160,000 people aged 20 to 40 in Norfolk who needed the polio vaccination, but only 20,000 people received their first shot (The Virginian-Pilot, March 11, 1957). The Norfolk County Medical Society and Norfolk Public Health Department set up five clinics throughout Norfolk for the public to visit to receive vaccination shots. The locations were: Maury High School, Granby High School, Booker T. Washington High School, Norview Elementary School, and Mary Calcott Elementary School (The Virginian-Pilot, February 26, 1957). The clinics opened on March 4, 7, 11, and 14 for the first shot, and opened on April 1, 4, 8, and 11 for the second shot. By August 31, 1957, the mass polio inoculation drive had given 148,500 cc of polio vaccines to local residents.
Biographical Note
Horace Jesse Barnes was born on October 5, 1919 and died on January 8, 1985. Mr. Barnes served in the military during the second World War and became a pharmacist after he got out of the military. H. J. Barnes was the local drug representative for the company Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical Company. Eli Lilly was one of the six national firms that produced the polio vaccine. Mrs. Louise Walker Barnes was one of the registered nurses from Portsmouth who helped her husband by giving the polio vaccinations to local residents. Mrs. Barnes served in the United States Army as a nurse. Both Mr. and Mrs. Barnes retired and moved to Kilmarnock, Virginia to live out their final years together. They are buried at the Saint Francis de Sales Catholic Church Cemetery in Kilmarnock, Lancaster County, Virginia. They were both survived by two daughters, Carol and Janet – who are both married.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
Sargeant Memorial Collection
Access Restrictions:
This collection is open to all researchers.
Use Restrictions:
The status of copyright for these materials is governed by Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U. S. C.). Copyright restrictions may apply.
Acquisition Source:
Janet B. Hovland by donation
Preferred Citation:
Horace J. Barnes Polio Vaccination Scrapbook, MSS 0000-185, Sargeant Memorial Collection, Norfolk Public Library, Norfolk, Virginia.
Processing Information:
Processed October 22, 2015.
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