The Iron Lung

The Iron Lung

Navy nurse treats patient in an iron lung

This image depicts another type of medical equipment used during the war, the iron lung. A type of ventilator that has since (thankfully) been replaced by the modern respirator machines we see in hospitals today, this device helped patients who were having trouble breathing on their own by applying negative pressure to the chest area. As you can see, these machines were bulky and a bit frightening. These were also used during the polio epidemics happening in the United States before, during, and after World War II. This particular machine is shown being used by a navy nurse on the US Navy Hospital Ship, USS Relief, AH-1.

Unknown Photographer, Donated to source by Arthur Stanley Riggs

Women of World War II Website: "Navy Nurses: Navy Nurse Tends to Sailor in an Iron Lung," by Margie Bedell-Burke, November 4, 2017, image donated by Arthur Stanley Riggs and courtesy of the National Museum of the US Navy: https://www.womenofwwii.com/navy/navy-nurses/navy-nurse-tends-to-sailor-in-an-iron-lung/

National Museum of the US Navy, Donated by Arthur Stanley Riggs

Accessed April 26, 2020

Public Domain

Photograph (jpg)

English

Still Image

US Navy Nurse Treating Patient with Iron Lung USS Relief WWII

US Hospital Ships in WWII, US Navy Nurses of WWII, US Medical Equipment of WWII

black and white photograph