The Great Serum Race: Blazing the Iditarod Trail Flashcards
Why did The Great Serum Race happen?
Nome had an outburst of diphtheria and the only cure was a serum 1,000 miles away. The train couldn’t take it all the way, so mushers and their sled dogs each went about 40 miles to help contribute to the trip to Nome.
How did Gunnar Kaasen find the Serum in the snow?
He took off his mitts and felt the snow with his bare hands.
why was it dangerous for dogs to run long distances in the snow?
If they ran too fast and/or breathed too deeply frost could cover their lungs.
How did Edgar Kalland unfreeze his hands from the sled handle?
A roadhouse worker poured a kettle of hot water over his mittens to melt the ice.
Which musher traveled the most miles? Who was their lead dog?
Leonhard Seppala traveled the most miles and his lead dog was Togo.
Leonhard decided to take a shortcut. What was that shortcut? How was it dangerous?
The shortcut was going across the sea ice. It was dangerous because the sea ice might break and separate the dogs.
Why was transporting the serum by sled dogs the only option?
The train routes only covered the first 400 miles, planes were only flown in the summer, and boats couldn’t be used because Nome was icebound
How many days did it take for the serum to reach Nome? How many miles were traveled by sled dogs?
It took six days for the mushers and their dogs to travel 600 miles.
What were the first two things Dr. Welch did after he found a case of diphtheria?
He met with the city council and recommended quarantine. He then desperately asked for the serum.
What caused Gunnar Kaasan to lose the serum?
A strong gust of wind flipped the sled over and the serum fell off.
