Introduction: Poliomyelitis is an infectious disease whose initial symptoms are fever, fatigue, headaches, vomiting, a stiff neck and pains in the limbs. In many cases, the sequelae are irreversible paralysis and may result in death if there is bulbar or respiratory compromise. A set of symptoms, called post-polio syndrome, which appears years after the acute infection, are also described.
Aim: To analyse the way poliomyelitis has been dealt with in literature, cinema and television.
Development: Film and television writers and directors have shown an interest in poliomyelitis and have portrayed it in a correct and realistic manner, both in fiction and in biographies or documentary-type works. Nemesis, Silver wattle, Leave her to heaven or The fall are some examples of literary works on the subject. Cinema has also portrayed polio all the way back to silent movies, with titles such as The woman in his house, The Silver Streak, Sister Kenny or The sessions. This disease and its sequelae have also been portrayed on television in series such as Hospital Central, Grey's anatomy, House M.D. or Amar en tiempos revueltos, and in TV films like El asunto, Eleanor and Franklin or Warm Springs.
Conclusions: Poliomyelitis has been portrayed in literature, cinema and television in a realistic manner, showing its symptoms, sequelae, and the personal, familial and social impact of this disease.
Title: La poliomielitis en la literatura, el cine y la television.
Introduccion. La poliomielitis es una enfermedad infecciosa cuyos sintomas iniciales son fiebre, cansancio, cefalea, vomitos, rigidez de cuello y dolores en los miembros. En muchos casos, las secuelas son paralisis irreversibles, y puede producirse la muerte si hay afectacion bulbar o respiratoria. Se describe tambien un conjunto de sintomas, llamado sindrome pospolio, que aparece años despues de la infeccion aguda. Objetivo. Analizar el abordaje que la literatura, el cine y la television han hecho de la poliomielitis. Desarrollo. Los escritores y los directores de cine y television han mostrado interes por la poliomielitis y la han reflejado de manera correcta y realista, tanto en las obras de ficcion como en las biograficas o de tipo documental. Nemesis, Secreto de hermanas, Que el cielo la juzgue u Oscura son algunos ejemplos de obras literarias. El cine ha mostrado la poliomielitis desde su epoca silente con titulos como The woman in his house, The Silver Streak, Amor sublime o Las sesiones. Tambien la television ha reflejado esta enfermedad y sus secuelas en series como Hospital Central, Anatomia de Grey, House o Amar en tiempos revueltos, y en telefilmes como El asunto, Eleanor y Roosevelt o Warm Springs. Conclusiones. La poliomielitis se ha mostrado en la literatura, el cine y la television de forma realista, presentando la sintomatologia, las secuelas, y el impacto personal, familiar y social de esta enfermedad.