The simplicity of it all is both beautiful and mind-boggling.

A little salt, some sugar, and some clean water.

Two American doctors came up with this formula in 1967 in what is today called Bangladesh and – over the objections of other doctors and health officials – began infusing patients suffering from dysentery, cholera, and other diarrhea-related diseases.

At the time, a major outbreak of cholera was plaguing the capital of Dhaka. Worldwide at that time, some five million children a year were dying from cholera and dysentery, according to the New York Times.