The polio vaccine dates back to June 17, 1894. (History of Vaccines) The famous virus became big when President Roosevelt had the virus. The virus gave you lungs of iron and made breathing very difficult. Ongoing efforts to eradicate the virus have resulted in much trial and error to bring the outbreak under control. The polio epidemic was a virus spread all over the world, a well-known name that scared people every day. At the height of the polio epidemic, more than 35,000 cases were reported in the United States alone. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) There was a race to find a cure and when the vaccine was discovered in 1955, it saved thousands of lives and countless numbers of people who were in danger in the future. The Americas were completely eradicated of the disease in 1994. (History of Vaccines) Other vaccines have also helped people, such as the measles, yellow fever, and diphtheria vaccine, which shaped the future of the world.