They Trapped Polio Patients Inside of Tubes to Save Them

This is a B. This is an American stories we tell stories about everything here on the show in clerestory seven hour American stories.com there are some of our favorites and up next well a great history story in all of our history stories brought to us by the great folks at Hillsdale College in 1927 the iron lung was invented this machine help keep people alive were stricken with polio, a disease which today is mostly eradicated in the late 1940s disablement average of more than 35,000 people a year. Here's our own Monty Montgomery with the story of this lifesaving device. In the first half of the 20th century there was nothing quite like polio here staring Glassberg of the mobile medical Museum with more on that now. Polio is really serious virus and affected mainly young children, children between the ages of five and nine through the mid-1950s, the peak year was 1952 or 58,000 reporting live 77,005 polio virus, Michigan 55 became hundreds of scientists, hoping to hear the word signal the end of polio's long and ruthless reign of terror needed to vaccine was developed in 1955 before June so discovered that vaccine the only way to mitigate the effects of advanced polio device known as iron lung, its use for when people develop paralytic polio, about 5000 cases and it paralyzes your diaphragm and your unable to breathe independently what it is as it is a respirator that you are supposed to stay inside your strapped down your lying on your back, your immobile your head is resting on his pillow and when this is close they lock it up so nowhere circulating on the inside of this machine and this electric motor is going to turn this bellows back and forth has a handling case, the motor breaks down you can manually operated. But what's not what that's going to do is create negative pressure on the inside of the machine and this is actually how your lungs and your respiratory system are supposed to work but since there's lower pressure on the inside of the machine and it outside. That is going to actually force air through your trachea and into your lungs and then when you're inside your sea stay inside basically 24 seven fully recover and meanwhile nurses are providing care for you through these portholes watching you off massaging your lands changing your bedpan.

There's a wider goal. On the other side.

They were very costly, like in the 1930s is one of these cost about $1500 which was as much as a single family home and you know this is before health insurance and so not everybody could afford one that hospitals invested heavily in and they were, you know, very common during Sarah not meant as a permanent treatment but some people ended up using it for the rest of their lives because they never recover. Like Fredericks, not who is subject to much media attention at the time due to the iron lungs: quote new factor was born on September 22 weighing 8 pounds site has lived in an online all you being infantile but I didn't baby about his childhood sweetheart love you and now he is a proud father wanted is on magazine covers a: the man in the iron lung and Fredericks night was one of those people who never recover. And he spent the rest of his life in the iron lung until he died of heart and lung failure. It's very hard in your body to be as you can imagine, motionless, stuck inside all that time. By 1959, there were still 1200 people using the car along a 2004 there were 39 x 2014 only 10 people were still using the iron lung daily basis. The day there's about three often we get people that come in here older people who remember growing up and seeing somebody who had one of these in their home.

You know somebody being treated in their home in an iron lung, you know these are not made or manufactured anymore or serviced anymore and so if you do get an advanced case.

Polio you are more likely to be given a portable respirator that allows you freedom of movement better access to your caregiver. But these individuals fell that they were getting better results with the iron lung so they were fortunate to have people in their family who could jerryrigged it and keep it running for them and and that's what they used on a daily basis so close to becoming only a museum piece iron lungs are a reminder of a dark time in the past, but there are also proof of how far we've come in less than a century hour American stories I Monty Montgomery and great job as always, to Monty, who himself is a Hillsdale grad and a special thanks to Darren Glassberg, the mobile medical Museum. What a piece of history. This is medical history and all of our history stories brought was by the great folks at Hillsdale College.

You go to learn all the things that are good in life and all the things that are beautiful life you can get the Hillsdale Hillsdale will come to you with a free and terrific online courses go to Hillsdale.edu that's Hillsdale.edu since 1988 polio cases worldwide have gone down 99%.

The number of cases in 2017 was a mere 22 then compare that to 35,000 a year being paralyzed or disabled just in this country story of the iron lung here on our American stores view of the great American stories we tell and love America like we do for asking you to become a part of the all American stories family. If you agree that America is a good and great country.

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Simply go to Geico.com or contact your local agent today and we continue with our American stories and on the show we considered privileged those who have given their lives in combat for others, and so does Heather McPherson who is the curator of history at the South Carolina military Museum.

In fact, the reason she's at the museum in the first place is Heather tell us more. So when I was going up. My mom had photos on account of her uncles and I was always interested in this one like I want to know his story is name is Ralph Ferguson and he served and of the 29th division door to and landed on Omaha Beach's first wave and made it to June 12 for is killed in action is about 12 miles and under the L River. So I grew up here in bits and pieces that story and throughout 1880 other parties where teenagers everything but now I love to share class and stuff like that but I was kind to everyone :-) dig into the story little bit and then after college I really dove into it there so much more available on the Internet and get in contact with people and just comment like side mission of mind to figure out historian Scott down some sense of purpose trying to tell his story. The family didn't really talk about it, brothers didn't want to mention him. Mother and my grandma grew up not knowing a lot about what happened to him and same with his. His widow didn't really know a lot so me being able to piece together his few days and country and what he might've gone through and finding mentions of him in books and stuff. It was is is really incredible journey and just got me more interested in other aspects of war two, and then eventually other military in general is actually found a mention of him and want to Stephen Ambrose's book on the soldiers under his command as a second lieutenant in the twin Activision is talking like he he I felt sorry for Fran because he had read his soldiers mail and since certain he knew that he was really, really close these men after having a sense of their male and he didn't want to lose any of them and he kinda reminded me of him taking care of his younger brothers and younger sisters always be in the manor house because she lost his father a year before he got deployed, so he was like on tour night and I want take care my men, but I know my family needs me at home… In World War II was just an era where some people stepped up and did what they had to do. He's writing letters back home. ICal is his mother's learn how to drive. For the first time because she doesn't have someone to do that for now, talking to my grandmother like will have a dealer how to drive yet birth and help help mother feel fill the car with gas and I could just sensing this pool of him wanted to be in two places at once and there's no telling what he went through on the beaches of Omaha along with so many other bar or brave men getting separated from where they are supposed to.

Landon just so much going on and then leading his men across L River of her couple will excerpts of he was probably want to first wants mechanical had a sweat leaders that they want to keep their men out of harm's way and they took the point. Not sure how he got killed. It could've been artillery could've been a sniper but as I start talking about him and my my grandmother Sgt. Sherry stories. I know her before it almost like tenant clicks her memory. And like I will. He is that you were at the drugstore so he came home and smelled like coal pills on what they are put in those Pillsbury little black pills and smell like: what is West Virginia so everything smells like coal but yes is diesel. Stories of the she didn't even know she remembered is deftly been a journey when he spent many years researching and really get to know the person that you never met you, my mom said you night I really met him, but you've almost brought them to life for me and finally made the pilgrimage. If you will, to Normandy, and by 19 and See his grave and going to see his his grave silence like gaze on motion about know some of never met, but it's like I didn't know and be able share that with everyone that was part of the tour with went with the twin Activision Association kindly always go by myself but the tour group was going there some like will then why had I can't just go and not see the grave site is all these people are now watching this moment the pinks looking forward to for a while and actually have an attendee to come with you and rub sand and in the engraved part of the cross. So the letter usually pop and actually signifies heal someone who knew this person has come to visit, so that one person stand behind me in the full tour group looking on in light of this is awkward. But it was it just felt like the circle was completely eventually had time to go back by myself in time. Hey Ralph how you doing you know it's it's really is like I know him and hit me to like maybe a bit later like a KS takes pictures to make sure I was here visited and Riley go.

This is a story by then. There I was like okay that was a was a moment and that it weighs on you after little bit. But yeah, that was is incredible. I think was even more impacted when I went to that the actual River where he passed away because it was on June 6 that we had laid some roses down on the memorials side taken at roses I want to spread some the pedals in L River. I was thinking, but it just seemed like the right thing to do so I did that no discount look around River little bit more and his head down down a little bit those Rose petals were there circling. Okay that's that's so weird so we stood there for a little bit like I guess time to go and then the rose petals left right when I left and I was like okay that's something something going on here that I really any more experiences like that, but the seals rose petals like waiting on me almost, and then leaving.

As I left it was almost like mouselike thanks for pricking my story alive seen a bed-and-breakfast that was literally like 2 miles where he was killed in now that family who runs the bed-and-breakfast. He also has a tour group and my great uncle story gets to be told multiple times throughout the year in pictures around the roadside in its Mrs. incredible hot hot all turned out. My voice is cracking because of it, but I'm trying not to his heart. And I think that's why I love working here is because II know how it feels and said he I even yesterday I was talking to one of our donors were going to be showcasing his family at one of our displays these I'm just so full that you're doing this for us because they have the story but it's almost like they do want to share.

It is not just for them. Like how I want to share what these people didn't like they want to keep that memory lives in the more people you tell about it the more it feels like a will that person's gonna remember that story just keeps trickling on people who no longer with us have connected so many other people and from different states, but also from the United States to Francis like that the people I stay with were almost British mom is Dutch but now they take care of a marker where my great uncle died from West Virginia so psych. The stories bring the whole world together and is out of something so horrible, but out of it come something so great as you connect people and keep these memories alive of good sons and daughters make an ultimate sacrifice and disconnects everyone in the world so you misread me rereading stories of the people had families and why people forget about families, even serving today that they were serving just alongside their men and women in uniform, so it's it's that's what pulls me in his the stories and keeping them alive because almost like the more stories I keep alive in a museum. That's one more, checkmark for Ralph Goenka job. No, keep that storyline. Special thanks Robbie for doing that story producing it bring you to us. Special thanks to Heather McPherson for telling the story is curator of history South Carolina military Museum telling stories is what she does.

Telling stories of those who will a real price that we can enjoy the inheritance we have here in this country and it's an inheritance from we can do anything for so many of us and my goodness, what a story she told about her great uncle and all triggered by those pictures on the top of the piano or those people she thought her curiosity drover she got to know Ralph Ferguson really got to know him, never met him. She really got to know 29th division World War II stormed Omaha Beach, a beautiful story about memory and the power of stories Heather McPherson story were great uncle Ralph Ferguson story here on our American story back with our American stories in here to tell another Hollywood goes to war story is Roger McGrath is the author of gunfighters, Holliman vigilantes violence on the frontier is also a US Marine and former history professor at UCLA. Dr. McGrath has appeared on numerous history Channel documentaries is a regular contributor for us here at our American stories.

Here's McGrath, Marion C. Cooper was one of Hollywood's most important figures in its golden age great prominence in 1933 when he cowrote, directed and produced blockbuster King Kong before he retired six credits for directing 19 for writing and 60 for producing work closely with John Ford producing search for classics as Fort Apache. She wore a yellow ribbon Rio Grande wagon master.

A quiet man and researchers.

What is generally not known about Miriam Cooper is his service as a US Army pilot World War I and then as the organizer of the cost Q school squadron, a group of American pilots came to Poland he who with great distinction in the Polish Russian war of 1920. Cooper was born in 1893 in Jacksonville, Florida. Son of a prominent attorney Cooper line goes back to colonial Europe and southeastern Georgia rising to prominence during the Revolutionary war is John Cooper Marion's great-great-grandfather, who serves as a Col. alongside cashmere Lasky Polish cavalry commander after meeting with Ben Franklin Paris in 1776 Lasky seals to America is soon reorganized and commanding the Continental Army's cavalry regiments was imperious manner causes controversy the aristocratic Polaski Shores with distinction in several battles both before and after spending the winter of 1777 1778, with Washington at Valley Forge while leading the charge. During the battle of Savannah in May 1779.

Polaski is grievously wounded by British grapeshot Col. John Cooper cures Polaski from the battlefield and the court in Family Court is that Polaski side when the cavalry commander dies. Two days later cashmere Polaski becomes a hero to Americans including Miriam Cooper. When the young boy's told stories of his great-great-grandfather in the Polish general young boys. Imagination is also fired by hearing of the exploits of his great uncle. Or Cooper joins the second floor. The infantry of the Confederate army at the age of 16 fights heroically so for several wounds and was commissioned as a captain at age 24. Young Cooper is a voracious reader of tales of adventure. In particular, all do show explorations in adventures in equatorial Africa through an account of show for gorillas in the force of the uncharted Crystal Mountains shows description of two native women being carried off by groups leaves a lasting impression on Cooper is by accident that 1933 Cooper Co. rights directs and produces King Kong first thoughts of adventure turned skyward when at age 10 and 19. Three.

The Florida boy region of the Wright brothers 12 second flight Kitty Hawk, North Carolina those one day he will fly airplanes.

Upon graduating from the Lawrenceville prep school in New Jersey. Cooper receives an appointment to the United States Naval Academy performs well both academically and athletically. Cooper has trouble controlling his wild nature and receives demerits for infractions discipline his fondness for strong drink, get some thrown into the brick during December 1914 in the Academy begins dismissal proceedings.

Cooper is only one semester shy of graduation and he can contest the proceedings, but he feels he is brought dishonor upon himself and his family and thinks it best for all if you please to embarrassed to return home. Cooper sales to Europe as a seaman aboard a freighter thinks of enlisting the fly for Britain or France but passport problems interfere returns to the United States and worked at various jobs including writing for the Minneapolis daily news in the St. Louis Post Dispatch stops drinking entirely and excels at his jobs, but does begin smoking a pipe in a letter to his father. He says of his pipe. He sues many many hatred and many regret and whenever I have one good drink. The old corncob has always stuck me and taken the place of John barleycorn in 1916, Cooper joins the Georgia National Guard quickly finds himself on the Mexican border with Gen. George blackjack Persian.

Cooper thinks he will soon be pursuing punctual deep inside Mexico duties are confined patrolling the border.

After several months of limited action. Cooper gives orders to military school after your rigorous training. Cooper graduated first in his class of the hundred and 52. That's the common debt of the school since a telegram to Washington, recommending the newly minted pilot. Cooper for service overseas same is the best man in every respect with yet entered the school Cooper is in France. By October 1917 but as for several more months of training before being assigned to the 20th squadron injuries in a crash landing months of heavy rains and fog delay. Cooper's first combat flight until September 1918, which occurred during the battle of San Miguel. Cooper's flying to Hamblen for liberty, a powerful and fairly maneuverable plane loaded with a pilot, a bombardier ordinance and a full tank of gas is considerably slower Fokker seven gas tank is particularly full enemy fire which burns the plane. The nickname flaming coffin Cooper flies both bombing and reconnaissance missions is what cold until a bombing mission in late September during the Muse Argonne offensive is plaintiff to have lunch is jumped by two groups of talkers.

Cooper maneuvers his plane prudently and he was bombardier in Leonard shoot down three Fokker's words on plane is ripple with bullets and set ablaze. Cooper thinks appealing out but he decides to stick with the plane because Leonard is wounded and only semiconscious in the rear seat and you been listening to the story of Miriam C. Cooper is the man who gave us King Kong.

That's a 1933 when people saw this movie they ran out of the theater is to watch it today but still remarkable is also my goodness, producing the classic John Ford. Movies like the searchers were quiet and ran always in the lineage of this family was poor and service when we come back more of Mary and see Cooper's story to stem one year our American store and we continue with our Americans worries.

Cooper's airplane is on fire. After getting riddled with bullets in a dogfight against German planes were one thinks of bailing out decides to stick plane because his bombardier and Leonard and only semiconscious return with their hands and using the control stick Cooper crash plans claim in a few Cooper and Leonard extract themselves from the wreckage adjournment by was one of those in the air duel also lands in the field as described by Cooper Hansen and little Dick pilot strides over the wounded Americans salutes them and renders a German infiltration arrive Cooper and Leonard are taken to a German field hospital for treatment. German doctors see Cooper's hands in Leonard's wife Cooper and Leonard are listed as MIA until the Red Cross sends word early in November that their life and recovering from their wounds, adjournment, the armistice is signed. A week later, Cooper and Leonard are soon repatriated. Once back in France and Ella Capt. Cooper volunteers for humanitarian mission: the polls are starving. The condition made worse by a Russian Bolshevik invasion one may be over but the Polish Russian war is just beginning Cooper's organization of truck convoy with tons of food and medical supplies endears him to polls, especially in East Galatia, now part of Ukraine, however, belongs to join the polls in fighting the Russian Bolsheviks were able to send more than 700,000 troops in the pool and after defeating the Russian folks, Cooper personally contact Poland's head of state marsh Joseph Polonsky asking permission organize a squadron of American pilots to fight alongside the polls and repay the American debt owed to Poland for the services of Kashmir, Polasky, and to reduce cost you school. Another Polish nobleman who served in the Army with distinction with Marshall Lipsky's approval. Cooper begins recruiting American pilots. The first to join his Col. Cedric Carol fund LeRoy, a tall Mississippian Rick Barker's theme squadron Cooper wants squadron named in honor Polasky but find the right ones cost you school since font is the ranking officer. The unit becomes the cost you school squadron. In addition to Capt. Cooper and Col. Funk, the founding members of squadron include Capt. E. H. Kelly of Virginia Capt. Ed Corsi of New York, Noble and EP Graves of Massachusetts, Lieut. Carl Clark of Oklahoma, tenant can Shrewsbury Virginia Janet Elliott chests of Texas and Lieut. George Crawford of Delaware. Certainly a cross-section of America. Many more American volunteers will later join the squadron by January 1920 squadron is an action, contributing significantly to turning the tide of battle against the Russians And Cooper's in combat. Whenever the weather permits often fly and who else could missions against the Cossack cavalry, which is attempting to sweep through eastern Poland and Warsaw. American pilots employ tactics they learned in the World War I battles View and Argonne Firstly Would Fly over the Cossack Columns at 600 Feet above the Ground and Drop the Bombs by Hand. Then They Would Drive down A Few Dozen Feet above the Ground and Fire Their Machine Guns. The Now Fleeing Cossacks. These Bombing and Strafing Attacks Devastate the Cossack Cavalry, but Also Take a Toll on American Pilots Flying at Such Low Altitudes Typically on the Strafing Runs Mean Small Arms Can Bring down the Play, Cooper Also Fly Several Missions to Q, Where He Has a Beautiful Polish Girlfriend You Later Recall the Day I Flew down the Street and Kia Wing Almost Shot off so I Could Waive My Beautiful Luscious Plot and Have Her Blow a Kiss Me If That Wasn't Worth Risking Your Life for I Don't Know What Is Particularly As I Had a Date with Her That Night.

On July 13. Cooper Is Strafing Cossack Cavalry Went Bullets Ripped through His Gas Tank. In This Engine Begins to Sputter Switch Stores Reserve Tank but No Luck As His Plane Is Gliding to the Earth. He Watches Cossacks Galloping Horses to Catch up with Them Is Did Stick Landing Is Smooth within His Wheels in the Ditch and the Plane. Ground Loops Were Thrown Out Of the Cockpit Ground with but He Struggles to His Feet, Walks A Few Steps, Then Passes out. Cooper Regains Consciousness with the Help of a Kick from the Boot Dismount, Cossack Overseas. He Surrounded by the Notorious Russian Cavalryman Cooper Later Says They Look like Wild Dogs Jumping after Piece of Raw Meat Endures Three Days of Beatings and Whippings before Arriving at the Headquarters of the Cossack Cavalry Commander, Gen. Simeon Denny Cooper Thinks He Will Be Interrogated and Executed, but Was Surprised to Learn As a Fondness for the Cost You School Pilots A Few Weeks Earlier. The Pilots Could've Killed Wives Writing in the Train. However, the American Saw His Wife Was with Him and Decided to Fly by without Attacking Any Offers Cooper a Job As a Flying Instructor for the Bolsheviks, Cooper Will Have None of It Is Sent to Prison near Moscow about Nutrition and Disease Take the Lives of Prisoners, Week by Week for Various Reasons. Prisoners Are Occasionally Lined up against the Wall and Shot Cooper's Chosen for the Wall Three Times. Each Time, His Execution Was Called off during the Spring of 1921 He and Two of His Fellow Prisoners, Both Polish Tenants Swear Oath to Each Other That They Will Attempt to Escape or Die Trying. Days Later, When They Were among a Group of Prisoners Taken into a Forest, Chop Wood Cooper and the Polish Officers Slip Away, Moving Rapidly through the Forest They Have the Good Fortune to Come upon a Real Line and Leap Unseen Aboard a Free-Trade West. The Train Takes That Much of the Way to the Latvian Border.

But Then It's Travel on Foot Only by Night and Only 1/2 Bath. At One Point for Us to Cut the Throat of Russian Soldier Cooper Reaches Warsaw Is Greeted As a Conquering Hero Versus All the Koski School Squadron Did Was Nothing More Than Payback for the Contributions of Polasky and Cost Used, to America's Freedom in the American Revolution. Once Back in the United States. Cooper Goes to Work As a Reporter for the New York Times after Six Months, Though, Is Able to Join an Expedition Led by Wealthy Explorer from California.

Edward Saulsberry, That Is, Ceiling the Far-Off Places in Search of the Venture. This Is Something Cooper Screamed out since He Was a Little Kid Expedition Takes Cooper to the Most Remote Islands of the Southwest Pacific and to Those of the Indian Ocean Island Headhunting, Human Sacrifice and Cannibalism of the Mission Comes Hundreds of Photographs and Hundreds of Feet of Film Which Turned into a Documentary Also Coming Out Of the Expedition Is a Book See Gypsy Written by Miriam Cooper Documentary in the Book Dick Salsberry Cooper Hollywood Person Writing Directing or Producing Some of the Best Movies Ever, Hollywood People Often Say Hollywood Doesn't Make Moves like a Used May Be Because Hollywood Doesn't Have Men like Miriam Cooper and a Terrific Job of the Storytelling Is Always by Greg. Special Thanks to Roger McGrath. We Love the Hollywood Goes to War Series, My Goodness. So Many Great Men Served When They Didn't Have To. There Were Many Other Ways. They Could've Gone about Helping the Effort, War Bonds and the like What John Ford Frank Capra John Houston Jimmy Stewart Worktable Table at the Height of His Career Doing This over and over Again the Story of Mary Cooper Dear on Our American Story