70 years in the iron lung: the story of Paul Alexander

Paul Alexanderman with Guinness Record the person who spent the most time in iron lungjust died in 78 years old. He breathed with the device for over 70 years, which he inevitably became attached to after contracting polio when he was just 6 years old.

This disease, caused by a virus, can occur in different ways. It is estimated that 3 out of 4 patients experience flu-like symptoms. However, in the remaining quarter, the nervous system is affected with very serious symptoms. In some cases there is meningitis which can be fatal, and in other cases – the impact spinal cord causes paralysis at different levels. Sometimes it’s just a limb. But in other cases, the entire torso is affected, including lungswhich cannot contract and expand normally.

This is exactly what happened to Paul Alexander. He couldn’t move from the neck down, so he needed this device to breathe. Despite this, he excelled in his studies, graduating legal career and even practiced law. Without a doubt, this is an example of improvement. Although, if polio vaccines had existed when he was little, he would not have had to become an example of anything. I probably would have preferred that.

Iron lung to survive

The iron lungs are a sealed chamber, 300 kg, similar in appearance to a submarine. Inside there is a pump system that periodically increase and decrease pressureto allow the lungs to contract and expand so that air and blood can circulate through them.

It was invented in the 1920s, initially to treat people suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. However, in the same decade there was a big boom when its effectiveness was proven in patients with polio paralysis. These were mainly children, since this group of the population is most affected by this virus.

It continued to be used frequently until the mid-20th century. In the 1950s polio vaccine sharply reduced the number of infections with this virus, and in the 1960s other methods mechanical ventilation this did not require such a heavy device. Despite this, a significant proportion of patients who started using the iron lung continued to use it for the rest of their lives. This is the case of Paul Alexander. Over time, thanks to the help physiotherapist, learned to breathe by pushing air out of the throat. Because his neck was not paralyzed while he was conscious, he could breathe without the iron lung, so he only needed it to sleep.

Thus, he was able to go to court and practice as a lawyer. He used a wheelchair that held him in an upright position and allowed him to breathe the way he was taught to breathe. Then, returning home, he continued his day. He even wrote a book. But when it was time to sleep, I had to go back to the iron lungs.

Unfortunately, their small metal shelter was not enough to defeat COVID-19who ended his life at 78 years old.

There’s only one person left in your situation

Since Paul Alexander’s death, the only patient still being prescribed an iron lung for polio is believed to be another American: Martha Lillard.

Your case is a little different. She is 75 years old and has been using this heavy device since she was infected with poliovirus at age 5. His paralysis wasn’t that serious, so did not lose the ability to walk. However, his lungs have difficulty contracting and expanding normally, so he still spends most of the day using his iron lungs. In interviews with the media, he has described it as a very dear friend, as it is the place where he feels best, with no problem getting air to circulate through his lungs.

However, like Paul, Martha would prefer to have other friends. She has also repeatedly stated that her mother would have had her vaccinated without hesitation if she had had the opportunity when she was little.

Currently, the disease is found only in low-income countries where the vaccine is difficult to deliver. Perhaps people who continue to be paralyzed by this disease also they would get vaccinated if they could. This should serve as an example of how important vaccines are. Those who say they choose not to vaccinate their children for fear of infecting them should say so while looking Martha in the face. A face that had become the only part of her body protruding from that iron lung that had kept her alive since she was a child. Perhaps if they looked into those eyes, their mentality would change.