Polio is a disease that attacks the nerves of the spinal cord and paralyzes the patient. The part of the body that becomes paralyzed depends on the nerves that are attacked. Polio can even affect the patient's ability to breathe.
The premature baby survived with the support of a miniature iron lung, and health care workers closely monitored the temperature and humidity around the baby.
The lungs do not have their own muscles; they are controlled by the movement of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a thin layer of muscle that sits between the stomach and the lungs. When the diaphragm moves upward, air is squeezed out; when it moves downward, air is sucked in. The nerve that controls breathing is located very high up in the neck. If that nerve is attacked by the poliovirus, the patient can die.
But Philip Drinker invented the iron lung, and with it, he invented the machine that allows patients to breathe. The iron lung is an airtight iron box connected to a pump, with the patient's head sticking out. When the air in the iron lung is sucked out, fresh air enters the patient's lungs; when the pressure in the iron lung rises, the air in the lungs is pressed out. The iron lung has saved many lives. It is the first machine to replace the function of human organs.
The history of the application of the iron lung is short. When Salk developed an effective polio vaccine, polio was brought under control in the 1950s, and today, several less bulky ventilators are available for patients who need help breathing.