Look at the past
1925 SERUM RUN— Facing a diphtheria epidemic in Nome, the only doctor in Nome urgently requested a million units of diphtheria antitoxin for the 3,000 souls living in Nome at the time. A sled dog team relay was deemed to be the fastest way to deliver the serum from the train station in Nenana to Nome. The first musher left on January 27, 1925 into the bitter -60°F cold to tackle the first leg of the 674-mile long trek to Nome. Pictured is Gunnar Kaasen, who transported the serum from Bluff to Safety to Nome, and his dog team lead by famous Balto. Kaasen mushed 13 of Leonhard Seppala's backup dogs that were sent from Nome to Bluff to await the serum, while Ed Rohn was sent to Pt. Safety. Weather turned as Kaasen covered the notoriously dangerous stretch of trail between Topkok and Safety. With chest-deep snow drifts and glare ice, Kaasen was unable to see the trail and relied on Balto to guide the sled. A message was sent to the village of Solomon instructing Kaasen to wait out the storm there. Due to the severity of the storm, Kaasen missed the village as Barge caught after drifting Balto kept them on the main trail passing to the south. While crossing Bonanza flat the sled was flipped by the wind, ejecting the serum. After searching in the dark on hands and knees, Kaasen found the package and continued. loose in Bering Strait He arrived at Safety sometime after 2 a.m. Sunday, February 2. Musher Ed Rohn, who was supposed to take the serum the final leg into Nome, was asleep expecting Kaasen to be held up waiting out the blizzard. Kaasen, deciding not to wake Rohn and knowing the time it would take to prepare the dogs and sled for travel, began the final 21 mile leg. He arrived in Nome around 5:30 a.m. to deliver the life-saving serum.