How did an iron lung work in conjunction with a human body?

queproblema

It made it breathe. The person was put inside a metal cylinder outfitted with vacuums that made the diaphragm rise and fall. Typically, these were used for polio patients whose muscles had become paralized. "The first modern and practical respirator nicknamed the 'iron lung' was invented by Harvard medical researchers Philip Drinker and Louis Agassiz Shaw in 1927. The inventors used an iron box and two vacuum cleaners to build their prototype respirator. Almost the length of a subcompact car, the iron lung exerted a push-pull motion on the chest. "In 1927, the first iron lung was installed at Bellevue hospital in New York City. The first patients of the iron lung were polio sufferers with chest paralysis. "Later, John Emerson improved upon Philip Drinker’s invention and invented an iron lung that cost half as much to manufacture." http://inventors.about.com/od/istartinventions/a/iron_lung.htm Better pictures here, and supposedly a video I couldn't get to load. http://americanhistory.si.edu/polio/howpolio/ironlung.htm I would guess this photo was taken during the 50's epidemic. http://www.nbt.nhs.uk/Media/NHS%2060/iron_lung.jpg Aug 30 09, 8:13 PM