THE "IRON LUNG"

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 189, 27 August 1937, Page 7

THE "IRON LUNG"

Man's Life Saved at Auckland Hospital artificial respirauon Justifyiug tbe f aitb of tbe medieal and engineering staff s wbo were responsible fof its 1 coUstruction, tbe titnely use of tbe Drinker respirator, uiore ebmmonly known as an «'iron lung," alone sa.ved tbe life of a young maTried man wbo was a patient in the Auckland Hospital last week. He is no longer in a serious condition and. is stated to bave made an excellent recovery. Wberi he was placed in tbe respirator, tbe' condtion of tbe patient was regarded as de'spCrate. His fespiratory centre was rapidly failing, but bis lungs were kept fuUCtioning in tbe a.irr tigbt steel cabinet until be xegained tbe ability to breatbe nQrmally. EveU thougb bis f espiratbry mbscleS were unable to function effqctively, be was cansed to breatbe by tbe fegular pulsations of air-pfessure in the cabinet. Health authofities in Wellington reeeUtly stated tbat tbe Drinker apparatus was in its experiinental stage and that it beld risks for tbe cases put' into it. HoweVef, tbe medieal superintendeut of tbe Auckland Hospital, Dr. 3". W. Cravefi, said yestefday tbat tbe staff bad been delighted. witb tbe fesults acbieved" from tbe Cquipnient Uiid tbe treatment bad be,en affofdfed to "sevfefal patiouts. In nbne of tbe few . fatal cases bad tbe respirator bden a cause of deatb. The apparatus built by tbe hospital engineer, Mr F. C. J'acobs, is UOt fe- . garded as being1 beyond improveuieut and, from growing familiarity in its use, members of tbe staff bave given consideration to several alterations. Tbese will probably be incorporated in any future respiratorS which may be built. Tbe use of the irrfh lung, particnlarly in tbe treatment of certain types of infantile paralysis, eame into prominencb in June Of tbis year, when cable inessages told Eo# an Aniefiean millionaire'S son enelosed in a rCspirator was eonveyed from Cbina to Cbicago.