The poliomyelitis virus mainly affects young children. The word poliomyelitis derives from the Greek words polio, meaning gray, and myelon, meaning spinal cord. (Bennington) Polio is spread through the mouth, usually when a person comes into contact with infected stools without washing their hands properly. (Sick!) Surprisingly, only about ten percent of people affected by polio experience serious symptoms. These symptoms include severe headaches, pain and stiffness in the back and neck. (Bennington) The remaining ninety percent have mild or no symptoms. Less serious polio symptoms include low fever, headache, sore throat, exhaustion, and nausea and vomiting. (Sick!) Even if these symptoms only last a few days, people remain contagious and are capable of infecting others. (Sick!) In the most severe cases of polio, after one to three weeks, the virus travels from the mouth to the intestines and pharynx. (Sick!) In the intestines and pharynx, the virus multiplies rapidly. (Lerner) Eventually the virus enters the bloodstream. (Lerner) In a minority of cases, the virus affects the central nervous system, spinal cord and brain. (Lerner) Only about one percent of people infected with polio experience symptoms associated with the virus's invasion of the central nervous system. (Bennington) In the central nervous system, the virus multiplies and damages nerve cells in the brain that control muscle movement, also called motor nerves. (Bennington) As motor nerves are destroyed, muscles lose their ability to function and become extremely weak, ultimately leading to paralysis. (Bennington) If the virus affects the brain stem, a person could also have... middle of paper ...... test discrimination by staging a weekend sit-in at the Works Progress Administration. (Longmore) One woman said that previously many protesters were embarrassed by their disabilities, but that "the protest has [positively] transformed [their] view of [themselves]." (Lonremore) Another concern for disabled polio survivors was the lack of accessibility. As outbreaks grew, more people used crutches, wore leg braces, or used wheelchairs. (Orr) Public buildings had to be modified to include wheelchair ramps, electric doors and elevators. (Orr) In 1968, the Architectural Barriers Act was passed. (Orr) “It stipulated that all buildings designed, constructed or leased with federal money must be equipped with ramps, sidewalks and open access for all. » (Orr) These changes have made daily life easier for polio survivors.