We had a look in the heritage museum housed in the former chapel of the military hospital at Netley.
I found a kind of horrified fascination in looking at, and reading about, the iron lung.
It was introduced in 1928 in USA primarily for victims of gas attacks but mainly used for polio patients.
The 'porthole' door had kindly been left open and I could not imagine being shut in there for the treatment. Patients received air at alternating pressures which helped their lungs to inflate and deflate.
Some patients only needed to use it for up to a week, but others might spend 60 years inside.
The thought of it made me, and makes me, feel hysteria coming on!
Interesting to see an original machine might look terrifying to us now but in the UK 1956 Polio epidemic in was a life saves for many mainly children, great image full of detail Hazel:)
A lifesaver for many and now good things have moved on in such a short space of time. One of my dear friends is a 1950's Polio survivor but it has affected her life since she was One year old.
That would be my worst nightmare! I have bad claustrophobia since being locked in a suitcase when I was a child! a great shot of this lifesaver though ;-)
This image brought back memories of seeing children stricken with polio in these iron lungs back in the 50's. It was very scary, as a child, to see other children with polio and having to be in these claustrophobic tanks. I remember praying for those children to get well and get out.
Interesting info, thanks, Peter.
Merrelyn, I cannot even go in a glass lift where you can see out! And as for locks on public toilet doors!
That’s an interesting but very difficult memory to have, Gloria.
Thank you for sharing the experience of your friend - it must have been hard.