1440 Daily Digest: The Great Race of Mercy

 



'The Great Race of Mercy'



This weekend marks the 100th anniversary of the Nome Serum Run, a historic dog sled relay that saved the remote town of Nome, Alaska, from a diphtheria outbreak in 1925. Twenty mushers and more than 150 sled dogs transported an antitoxin 674 miles across harsh terrain in just 127.5 hours, battling temperatures as low as minus 85 degrees.

 

In January, Nome's only doctor diagnosed diphtheria, a highly contagious and often fatal disease, in several children. With the town inaccessible by boat and air travel deemed too dangerous, sled dogs were the only viable option for transporting the serum across the Alaskan wilderness to prevent a potential epidemic.

 

While lead dog Balto gained international fame—and a Disney animated film—for completing the final 55-mile leg, another dog named Togo and his team actually covered the most treacherous 264-mile stretch. The serum run utilized parts of what is now known as the Iditarod Trail, although it wasn't the direct inspiration for the modern race.


Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to learn more.

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