On This Date in Minnesota History: December 17

December 17, 1942 – The dedication ceremony was held for the Sister Kenny Institute located at 1800 Chicago in Minneapolis. Elizabeth Kenny “was an unaccredited Australian nurse who promoted a controversial new approach to the treatment of poliomyelitis in the era before mass vaccination eradicated the disease in most countries. Her findings ran counter to conventional medical wisdom; they demonstrated the need to exercise muscles affected by polio instead of immobilizing them. Kenny's principles of muscle rehabilitation became the foundation of physical therapy, or physiotherapy.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Kenny

http://sisterkenny.net/archival_photographs.html