The iron lung, developed in 1927 by Philip Drinker and Louis Agassiz Shaw, became a lifesaving device during the polio epidemic of the 1940s and 50s. As polio spread, causing paralysis and leaving many unable to breathe on their own, the iron lung provided critical support, allowing patients to survive by simulating natural breathing. The machine works by creating an airtight chamber around the patient’s body, with only the head exposed. An electric motor powers the lung, using external negative

2K views · 36 reactions | An Emerson Respirator—also known as an “iron lung”—is a negative pressure ventilator used to artificially maintain respiration in polio patients. Learn more about the history of the iron lung from experts at Spencer Fox Eccles Health Sciences Library | University of Utah Health | Facebook