“Developed during the 1920s, the iron lung was invented to help individuals with polio breathe after their torso and abdominal muscles ceased to work. Improvements to the iron lung were made throughout the 20th century, but the almost-obsolete hospital device still looks a lot like a machine used in interrogations or a cruel medical tool.”

“Turning Points in History” was the theme for the 2024 National History Day Competition. We celebrate the work of Chloe and Daniela for their successful entry. “Jonas Salk: How the Polio Vaccine Changed Public Health”

“Tuskegee University's critical role in treating Black children with polio and the first vaccine at the height of segregation." From ABC News

"The Iron Lung and Polio" by Mark Rockoff, MD for OPENPediatrics

Do People Exposed to Polio Live in My Community? (Polio Australia Video)

Thomas Fetterman caught polio when he was 8. He needed an iron lung. Despite his many challenges he always looks for the positive aspects of his experiences.

“For those who found themselves needing to be placed inside an iron lung, the experience could be bewildering, unfamiliar and even downright frightening especially for the number of young children who were unfortunate enough to contract polio.”

The Last of the Iron Lungs (Video)

My parents decided to volunteer our entire family (themselves included), feeling strongly that it was the right thing to do.

" . . . Scientists usher in a new medical age with the monumental reports that prove the Salk vaccine against crippling polio to be a sensational success . . . "

“The story of the polio crusade pays tribute to a time when Americans banded together to conquer a terrible disease. The medical breakthrough saved countless lives and had a pervasive impact on American philanthropy that continues to be felt today." This is Chapter #1

“From 1940-1958, The Infantile Paralysis Center was housed on the campus of the Tuskegee Institute, known today as Tuskegee University. This red brick building in the South became the only place in the United States built specifically to treat Black children with polio. . . But the story doesn't end there."