Elizabeth Kenny

Australian nurse who revolutionized polio treatment against medical establishment opposition

Elizabeth Kenny (1880-1952), a self-trained nurse from rural Australia, challenged 20th-century medicine by developing the Kenny Method for polio treatment. At a time when doctors immobilized patients in plaster casts, Kenny advocated moist heat therapy and muscle rehabilitation—principles that form the basis of modern physical therapy.

Her journey began in 1911 when she treated her first polio case using improvised wool-stuffed sacks and stretching techniques. Despite ridicule from physicians who called her 'that crazy bush nurse,' Kenny's success rates attracted attention. By 1940, the Sister Kenny Institute opened in Minneapolis, becoming a global treatment model.

Kenny's true impact lies in changing medical dogma. She proved polio primarily affected muscles rather than nerves—a theory confirmed posthumously. Her battles with the American Medical Association (AMA) paved the way for patient-centered care. Actor Rosalind Russell portrayed her in the 1946 biopic Sister Kenny, highlighting her tenacity.

Though controversial, Kenny's methods reduced paralysis in thousands. The World Health Organization later incorporated her principles into standard rehabilitation protocols, making her one of history's most impactful medical mavericks.