Gordon O'Donnell Johnson, Salt Lake City, Utah: an interview by Becky B. Lloyd, February 13, 2010

Request Archival File or Update Item Information
Title Gordon O'Donnell Johnson, Salt Lake City, Utah: an interview by Becky B. Lloyd, February 13, 2010
Alternative Title No.527 Gordon O'Donnell Johnson
Creator Johnson, Gordon O'Donnell, 1938-
Contributor Cooley, Everett L.; University of Utah. American West Center; Lloyd, Becky B.
Publisher Digitized by J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah
Date 2010-02-13
Collection Number and Name ACCN 0814 Everett L. Cooley Oral History Project
Finding Aid https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv48007
Access Rights I acknowledge and agree that all information I obtain as a result of accessing any oral history provided by the University of Utah's Marriott Library shall be used only for historical or scholarly or academic research purposes, and not for commercial purposes. I understand that any other use of the materials is not authorized by the University of Utah and may exceed the scope of permission granted to the University of Utah by the interviewer or interviewee. I may request permission for other uses, in writing to Special Collections at the Marriott Library, which the University of Utah may choose grant, in its sole discretion. I agree to defend, indemnify and hold the University of Utah and its Marriott Library harmless for and against any actions or claims that relate to my improper use of materials provided by the University of Utah.
Date Digital 2014-06-11
Spatial Coverage Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, United States, http://sws.geonames.org/5780993/
Subject Johnson, Gordon O'Donnell, 1938- --Interviews; Poliomyelitis--Patients--Utah--Biography
Description Transcript (27 pages) of interview by Becky B. Lloyd with Gordon O'Donnell Johnson on February 13, 2010. Includes a file of newspaper clippings about polio patients and treatment
Abstract Johnson (b. 1938) was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. He discusses his family and early schooling. He contracted polio at age 14 in early September of his ninth-grade year. He describes what he remembers about getting sick. He had a spinal tap at the doctor's office and was taken to Salt Lake County Hospital, where he remained for six months. He was having difficulty clearing his throat of mucous; he received a tracheotomy, spent some time in an iron lung, and later used a chest respirator. He had paralysis of his vocal cords, neck and throat muscles, the left side of his body and right side of face. He couldn't swallow, so received liquid nourishment through a nasogastric tube until April. Johnson describes therapies used in hospital, including hot packs and stretching. He received a daily shot of penicillin throughout his hospital stay. He discusses experiments they wanted to try, but he didn't complete. Eventually he started swallowing and was released from hospital. He never used crutches or braces. The residual effects of polio include a closed tracheotomy, weakness in neck muscles, difficulty speaking, weakness in his legs and a limp (left leg shorter than right). After returning home from the hospital, he never participated again in scouting or sports. He graduated from high school, went on an LDS mission to California, and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Utah. He relates that he is beginning to experience what may be possible post-polio related symptoms. He worked for Utah Power for 38 years before retiring. He married and has five children. Polio Oral History Project. Interviewer: Becky Lloyd
Type Text
Genre oral histories (literary works)
Format application/pdf
Language eng
Rights
Scanning Technician Matt Wilkinson
Conversion Specifications Original scanned with Kirtas 2400 and saved as 400 ppi uncompressed TIFF. PDF generated by Adobe Acrobat Pro X for CONTENTdm display
ARK ark:/87278/s6j409xp
Topic Poliomyelitis--Patients
Setname uum_elc
ID 799474
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6j409xp
Back to Search Results