The Great Race of Mercy: 100 Years Later

This weekend marks the 100th anniversary of the Nome Serum Run, a historic dog sled journey that saved the remote town of Nome, Alaska from a diphtheria outbreak in 1925. Twenty mushers and over 150 sled dogs transported antitoxin medicine across 674 miles of 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 deadly disease, in several children. With the town unreachable by boat and air travel considered too dangerous, dog sleds were the only possible option to transport serum through the Alaskan wilderness to prevent a potential epidemic.

While the lead dog Balto became internationally famous - and was made into a Disney animated movie - for completing the final 55-mile leg, another dog named Togo and his team actually covered the most dangerous 264-mile stretch. The serum run used parts of what is now known as the Iditarod Trail, though it wasn't the direct inspiration for the modern race.

-----

Source: join1440.com