After surviving one deadly outbreak, one of the last men with Iron Lungs is threatened by another.

Paul Richard “Polio Paul” Alexander was six years of age, it was hot summer of 1952 in Texas. For 25 days, the temperature was above 38C (100 F). The cities was quiet sloshed with DDT insecticide, nothing seem to stop the spread. Church services, swimming pools, Cinemas, bars were all closed, yet the polio cases grew and US faced a deadly outbreak of Polio.

Paul Alexander was playing in the yard enjoying the droplets of summer rain and suddenly, his head pounded. The boy didn’t feel well, he ran inside slamming the door behind him and leaving his muddy shoes out in the rain. Paul’s mother gasped when she touched his feverish body. Paul was immediately send to bed that day.

Paul with the Iron Lungs

In 1920s ventilator was invented and during the Polio outbreak, it was lined corner to corner in hospital wards. Hospitals were filled with children encapsulated in metal canisters, worrying parents outside and in between the white caps and uniforms moving bed to bed.

It was the fifth day since Paul feel ill and by now, he had lost his grip. Paul could no longer speak or cough, he was rushed to Parkland hospital. After examination, there was no hope left, said one doctor. He would have died, if it wasn’t for another doctor that took a second look.

Paul woke up three days after emergency tracheotomy ; that clear the congestion in his lungs. His body was paralyzed by Polio infection, Paul was in a lot of pain but alive. He was given iron lungs. What his diaphragm couldn’t do, the iron did with hissing sound.

Iron Lungs and how does it work?

John Emerson built the first model of iron lungs in 1931. Emerson saw potential in the iron lungs made by Dr. Philip Drinker in 1928,. Emerson’s model was quieter and less expensive. During the polio outbreak, the iron lungs helped a thousands of children  between 1930-50s in US.

Iron Lungs 

So, how does it work?

I have a tagged a video along, so it is easier for you to understand. Nonetheless, the mechanism is simple, Iron lungs imitates the way our chest muscles and diaphragm flow air in and out of the lungs.

Inside the sealed tanks lies the patient body while the head is outside. As the diaphragm moves in one end, the pressure inside alternates depending on the pressure outside the tank. When the pressure increases inside tank, air is forced out and as the pressure decreases, the air is passed inside the patient’s lungs.

Paul Alexander

At the age of nine, Paul learned a technique that allowed him to leave the iron lungs. Initially out of the bed, hall and soon to the garden.

The frog breathing technique

Scientifically the technique is called glossopharyngeal breathing, but Paul called it “frog breathing.” What you do is capture air by lowering the tongue, in the mouth and throat cavity (like in an examination, saying “ahhhhh.”) Once you close the mouth, the air is pushed down the vocal chords into the lungs.

The therapist, Mrs Sullivan promised Paul a pup if he could successfully maneuver the technique. Even though it took him a year, Paul finally got his puppy and called her, “Ginger.”

Background and education

Paul had bigger ambitions than just the pup, he practiced frog breathing for decades and now was able to stay out of the iron lungs for longer time. By the age of 21, Paul graduated from a Dallas high school, without attending a single class. He wished to become a lawyer, but his admission was denied repeatedly due to his disability. Finally after two years of persistence, Paul got admission with a scholarship in Southern Methodist University.

Paul then graduated in a Law school in Dallas around 1984. For decades, Paul represented his clients in a modified wheelchair. But at the age of 74, he is now confined to the Iron lungs with 24/7 supervision.

The last of the iron lungs men died in UK. While in US, there is one another person, with iron lungs besides Paul.

Author

We haven’t finished the wonders of Paul’s life just yet. In April of 2020, Paul published a memoir, “Three Minutes for a Dog.” Due to his condition, it took him 8 years to finish the book. Either through a pen to tap words or by dictating to a friend. Paul never let the disability stop him from doing everything he desired.

During the interview with Reuters,

Closing UP

Here are the points that sums up the story above:

• Paul Alexander suffered from Polio infection. He was paralyzed head to toe and in the brink of death.
• Iron lungs helped children like Paul and thousands other during the deadly Polio outbreak in US.
• Paul learned frog breathing technique that let him out of the iron lungs few minutes at a time.
• Paul gradated high school and then from Law school. He worked as a lawyer for decades.
• He then wrote a memoir.
• 74 years of age, Paul is confined to Iron lungs, due to Covid-19 outbreak.

I hope Paul’s story inspires you on the every step of the way.

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