As I look outside my office window, I see remnants of two snows which fell during this past week. It is cold outside and I cannot imagine spending hours and days traveling through the cold Alaskan winter to deliver medicine. I love this story of the Great Race of Mercy (the beginning of the Iditarod Race).
The Iditarod Race began as a mercy mission. In 1925 people in Nome, Alaska, were dying
from diphtheria. 10,000 people of that
region were at risk from diphtheria, a contagious bacterial disease which
caused people’s airways to become blocked by a thick coating in their
throat.
The Nome, Alaska doctor, Dr. Curtis Welch, recognized the
illness and quarantined people (kept people at home to decrease the chances of
spreading the disease.) He recognized
the danger to his people but did not have the medicine they needed. Diptheria antitoxin was available—in
Anchorage, Alaska (many miles away.)
How could the diphtheria antitoxin be delivered? The Alaskan Territorial Governor came up with
a plan. By using relay teams of 20 of
the best mail carrier mushers (dog sled drivers) and 150 dogs, the antitoxin could
be delivered to Nome (674 miles).
The heroes (mostly unknown) took the antitoxin through
blizzards and temperatures of 50 degrees below zero as they traveled day and night
in an effort to save lives. This “Great
Race of Mercy” was completed in 5 days and 7 hours. While five children died from diphtheria, the
heroic efforts of the dog mushers saved many lives. What a great story from history. The Iditarod commemorates the heroism of
these brave men. http://www.cdc.gov/24-7/SavingLives/diptheria/index.html
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