The Last Survivor of the Iron Lung

Martha Lillard lived inside a room-sized mechanical lung for over seventy years. After contracting polio in 1953, this antique machine remained her only way to breathe until her recent passing.

Invented in the 1920s, the iron lung uses negative pressure to force a patient's lungs to expand. While most of the world moved on to modern ventilators, Lillard found her specific machine more comfortable and reliable for her needs. She became the final person in America to rely on this relic of medical history. Her life story offers a rare glimpse into the mid-twentieth century battle against a paralyzing epidemic.