“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.”

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

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)

The Iron Lung - Polio Revisited Part 3 (Video)