The polio virus mainly affects young children. The word polio comes 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 feces without properly washing their hands. (Sick!) Surprisingly, only about 10 percent of people with polio experience severe symptoms. These symptoms include intense headache, pain, and stiffness in the back and neck. (Bennington) The remaining ninety percent have mild or no symptoms. Less serious symptoms of polio include low-grade fever, headache, sore throat, tiredness, nausea, and vomiting. (Sick!) Even if these symptoms only last a couple of days, people remain contagious and are able to contaminate others. (Sick!) In severe cases of polio, after one to three weeks, the virus travels from the mouth to the intestines and pharynx. (Sick!) While in the intestines and pharynx, the virus multiplies rapidly. (Lerner) Eventually, the virus enters the bloodstream. (Lerner) In a minority of cases, the virus reaches the central nervous system, spinal cord and brain. (Lerner) Only about 1% of people infected with polio experience symptoms associated with the virus's invasion of the central nervous system. (Bennington) Inside the central nervous system, the virus multiplies and damages nerve cells in the brain that control muscle movement, also known as motor nerves. (Bennington) When motor nerves are destroyed, muscles lose the ability to function, becoming extremely weak, which eventually leads to paralysis. (Bennington) If the virus hits the brainstem, a person could also… halfway through the 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 “the protest [positively] transformed [their] view of [themselves].” (Lonremore) Another concern that disabled polio survivors faced was the lack of accessibility. As more epidemics occurred, the number of people using crutches, wearing leg braces, or using a wheelchair increased. (Orr) Public buildings have had to be modified to include wheelchair ramps, electric doors and elevators. (Orr) In 1968 the law on architectural barriers was passed. (Orr) “It states that all buildings designed, constructed, or leased with federal money shall be equipped with ramps, curb cuts, and open access to all.” (Orr) These changes have made the daily lives of polio survivors easier.