25 Jonas Salk Quotes from the Medical Pioneer

These Jonas Salk quotes will educate you on the virologist that helped millions with his life-saving vaccine.

Jonas Edward Salk was born in New York City in 1914 and died in La Jolla, California, in 1995.

Jonas was an American medical researcher and virologist that developed a vaccine to cure polio in 1955.

Not only did Jonas develop this life-saving vaccine, but he also did not patent or look for any profit from the vaccine.

He only desired to maximize the global distribution of the vaccine.

As early as 1959, Salk’s vaccine made a worldwide difference, reaching around 90 countries.

Less than a quarter of a century after his vaccine’s development, it eliminated polio transmission in America.

Take a look at these Jonas Salk Quotes to learn more about this life-changing virologist.

Most Remembered Jonas Salk Quotes

Check out some of the most remembered Jonas Salk Quotes.

1. “Are we being good ancestors?” — Jonas Salk

2. “Risks, I like to say, always pay off.” — Jonas Salk

3. “Try to bring out the best in each other.” — Jonas Salk

4. “You don’t invent the answers; you reveal the answers.” — Jonas Salk

5. “Life is an error-making and an error-correcting process.” — Jonas Salk

6. “I pictured myself as a virus or a cancer cell and tried to sense what it would be like.” — Jonas Salk

7. “I think of the need for more wisdom in the world, to deal with the knowledge that we have.” — Jonas Salk

8. “There is hope in dreams, imagination, and in the courage of those who wish to make those dreams a reality.” — Jonas Salk

9. “I have had dreams, and I have had nightmares, but I have conquered my nightmares because of my dreams.” — Jonas Salk

10. “Good parents give their children Roots and Wings. Roots to know where home is, wings to fly away and exercise what’s been taught them.” — Jonas Salk

Wise Jonas Salk Quotes

Here are some wise Jonas Salk Quotes

11. “Learn to live with each other.” — Jonas Salk

12. “Nothing happens quite by chance.” — Jonas Salk

13. “Intuition will tell the thinking mind where to look next.” — Jonas Salk

14. “I feel that the greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more.” — Jonas Salk

15. “Eventually, we’ll realize that if we destroy the ecosystem, we destroy ourselves.” — Jonas Salk

16. “And if we can be ever so much better – ever so much slightly better – at error correcting than at error making, then we’ll make it.” — Jonas Salk

17. “At one time, we had wisdom but little knowledge. Now we have a great deal of knowledge, but do we have enough wisdom to deal with that knowledge?” — Jonas Salk

Inspirational Jonas Salk Quotes

These Jonas Salk quotes are sure to inspire you!

18. “What makes your heart leap?” — Jonas Salk

19. “You learn what to do, or what not to do.” — Jonas Salk

20. “There is no such thing as failure; there’s just giving up too soon.” — Jonas Salk

21. “I couldn’t possibly have become a member of this institute if I hadn’t founded it myself.” — Jonas Salk

22. “It is courage based on confidence, not daring, and it is confidence based on experience.” — Jonas Salk

23. “What people think of as the moment of discovery is really the discovery of the question.” — Jonas Salk

24. “I look upon ourselves as partners in all of this, and that each of us contributes and does what he can do best.” — Jonas Salk

25. “The worst tragedy that could have befallen me was my success. I knew right away that I was through – cast out.” — Jonas Salk

What Did Jonas Salk Do After He Invented the Polio Vaccine?

Jonas Salk continued his career in medical research by opening his Salk Institute for Biological Studies in 1963.

He continued his research and spent the last years of his life advocating for mandatory vaccination for all in his effort to save more lives.

If you enjoyed learning about Jonas Salk, you will also like our Louis Pasteur quotes!

Please share these Jonas Salk Quotes with your family and friends and post any comments about Jonas Salk in the comment section below.