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1925 serum run to Nome

The route of the serum run is shown in green
A picture of Nome, of 1916
Gunnar Kaasen with Balto, 1925. Balto was the lead dog for the last 50 miles of the trip.

The 1925 serum run to Nome was when dog sled teams transported medicine to the sick children of Nome. It is also called the Great Race of Mercy and The Serum Run. Leonhard Seppala and his dog Togo travelled the longest and most dangerous part of the journey.[1][2] But a musher named Gunnar Kaasen and Balto became the most famous because they did the last part.[3]

An epidemic of diphtheria started in Nome, Alaska. It threatened the lives of many, mostly children. The medicine to treat the disease was called diphtheria antitoxin. Doctor Curtis Welch only had a supply of expired medicine. The weather conditions made it very hard to deliver any new medicine. It was decided that dog sled teams were need to bring it to Nome.[4]

1925 Serum Run To Nome Media

  • Leonhard Seppala with his dogs after the serum run in 1925. His lead dog, Togo, on the far left.

  • Statue of Balto, lead dog on the last relay team. The statue is located in Central Park (NYC) and is dedicated to all the dogs involved in the serum run.

References

  1. ↑ "Togo - A Capsule History". Balto’s True Story.
  2. ↑ Hank, Will (2020). "The True Story of Togo: Siberian Husky Sled Dog Hero of 1925 Nome Serum Run". American Kennel Club.
  3. ↑ Steinmetz, Katy (2011-03-21). "Top 10 Heroic Animals - TIME" (in en-US). Time. ISSN 0040-781X . http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2059858_2059863_2060458,00.html. Retrieved 2020-11-24. 
  4. ↑ "The 1925 Serum Run To Nome - A Synopsis". Balto’s True Story.
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