The iron lung was used for which debilitating disease in the US in the 1940s & 1950s?

Praise God for Dr. Salk and his vaccine!

I remember being very young and finding myself in a long line of other children. I did not understand why. When I reached the front a nurse gave me a shot. For the longest time I did not really understand. As I got older, my father described the death of his 2 YR old brother from diphtheria and a few years later the death of his 2 YR old sister from strip throat. I know 2 highly educated parents of 3 very young children. These parents refuse to inoculate their children, explaining inoculation is too dangerous. They explain this to me often and each time I remember my father describing the horrible deaths of his siblings. I have a son and made sure he received every shot available. When the chicken pox vaccine came out he was right up to his pediatrician. Please parents, understand that these diseases have not been a danger, because of these shots. Many of these diseases are reoccurring, because parents are refusing to inoculate their children.

If you don't want to vaccinate your children, do some research. Find a picture of lines of children with only their heads sticking out of these machines. Albeit the iron lung was the technology of the times and saved lives, could you live like that?

Player Meyer, Don't forget about Dr. Sabin and his.sugar squares. Kid liked them better than the shots.

The iron lung was a great inventoon for polio victims especially during the 1950 era when polio was prevalent . Afer the salk vaccine was founded and polio could be under more contol the use of the iron lung faded.

I cannot even imagine being in an iron lung for such a very, very long time! Not much quality of life for this lady.

SaltyWillOWisp96651, When I was a child we visited 2 Cousins in sanitoriums in iron lungs...the images will NEVER leave me

Player Meyer, Yes definitely my dad had a best friend in one & I remember it broke his heart to talk about him

Player #3164730, but some children are young & haven't been fully vaccinated. Those are still more vulnerable.

CAGranny, I was pretty young, but remember getting a sugar cube

SaltyWillOWisp96651, , for 60 years, more or less?

My former father in law had polio as a child. He walked with a slight limp, his feet were deformed and he had to wear 2 different sizes of shoes! I now have a neighbor that also had polio as a child, she has issues with one of her legs and walks with a limp also.

Jett Travolta died because his ignorant parents were 'Scientology believers'. true to form,he could have lived a normal life.

CAGranny, first polio shots were given in the abdomen and only to children under the age of 6 i think my sister got the shot in her tummy but i didn't get one until i was a teenager and then it was in my arm

AN improved model.

CAGranny, they don't give it as a shot now, but as an oral liquid.

CAGranny, I remember Sabin Oral Sunday, when it was introduced en masse and everyone went to get the vaccine.

proper sanitation as in clean water and proper waste management had already provided a significant drop in polio cases.

Becca Sue, that's why the rest of us need to be for herd immunity