[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1778]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    RECOGNIZING DR. HILARY KOPROWSKI

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                            HON. CURT WELDON

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 29, 2000

  Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to recognize 
the outstanding achievements of Dr. Hilary Koprowski--a man who has 
changed America, and the world, for the better.
  Dr. Koprowski is one of the most distinguished and respected 
biomedical researchers in American history. On February 27, 2000 we 
marked the 50th anniversary of the first application of his oral polio 
vaccine--one of Dr. Koprowski's most notable achievements. Truly one of 
the outstanding scientists of our time, Dr. Koprowski, along with co-
workers, engineered a new rabies vaccine that is more effective and 
less painful than the traditional Pasteur technique. In addition, Dr. 
Koprowski has pioneered the development of monoclonal antibodies for 
the detection and treatment of cancer. Dr. Koprowski is known for being 
a creative scientist. His other contributions include a blood test for 
early detection of cancer, and a serum for effective therapy against 
cancer of the bowel. He found a connection between viral infection and 
diseases of the nervous system. Dr. Koprowski's other research focused 
on the toxic effect of free radicals on lesions caused by viral 
disease.
  Today, Dr. Koprowski is the author of more than 850 scientific papers 
and a member of many learned societies. He has received honorary 
degrees from numerous universities and is the recipient of more than 
eighteen major honors, including the Order of the Lion, awarded by the 
King of Belgium, the Legion of Honor of France and the Nicolaus 
Copernicus Medal of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Philadelphia 
Award, the Scott Award, and the Legion of Honor.
  Born in Warsaw, Poland, Dr. Hilary Koprowski was faced with a choice 
between a career in music or in science. He received a degree in piano 
from the Warsaw Conservatory as well as the Santa Cecilia Academy of 
Music in Rome. In 1939, Dr. Koprowski obtained his M.D. degree and 
adopted scientific research as his life's work. Music remains a 
significant part of Dr. Koprowski's life. His compositions are 
published and are currently being played by various orchestras. Dr. 
Koprowski often compared science to music when he said, ``A well-done 
experiment gives the same sense of satisfaction that a composer feels 
after composing a sonata.''
  Mr. Speaker, Dr. Hilary Koprowski is a hero. He has been a world 
leader in scientific research for over 50 years. His expertise and 
leadership have contributed greatly to the field of science, and he has 
helped save countless lives. I know the House will join me in paying 
tribute to this outstanding scientist on the occasion of the 50th 
anniversary of his polio vaccine discovery.

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