Disease Detectives: The Korean War brings the threat of biological warfare. As a result, CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) training program begins under the leadership of Alexander D. Langmuir, M.D., M.P.H. The first class is composed of 22 physicians and one sanitary engineer. EIS officers quickly become known as the "disease detectives."

Polio Epidemic: During the frightening national polio epidemic, EIS officers lead efforts to trace 260 polio cases to unsafe vaccines made in California's Cutter Laboratories by setting up a national surveillance system. In a matter of weeks, extensive surveillance and epidemiologic investigation restores public confidence and confirms the vaccine's safety when produced under rigid controls. By 1956, half as many polio cases are reported as the year before.

Asian Flu: The Asian flu pandemic emerges in Hong Kong with millions of cases and thousands of deaths. EIS officers quickly set up a surveillance system enabling national control activities for the United States.