To help polio patients whose respiratory muscles were weakened, metal cylinders called "iron lungs" were developed to regulate breathing.
There was a time when the word “polio” struck terror in the hearts of families.
In the first half of the 20th century, polio — short for poliomyelitis — crippled tens of thousands of Canadians until a vaccine was introduced in 1955. The disease peaked in Canada in 1953 with nearly 9,000 cases and 500 deaths, according to the Canadian Public Health Association.
In severe cases, the disease attacks the central nervous system, resulting in paralysis and muscle weakness.
To help those whose respiratory muscles were weakened, large metal cylinders called “iron lungs” were developed to regulate breathing. On Feb. 26, 1954, the Canadian Legion presented the Children’s Memorial Hospital with a new iron lung, purchased with the proceeds of the legion’s March of Dimes.
The original caption of this photograph said, “This is one of the new iron lungs being used at the Children’s Memorial Hospital in the fight against polio. Grouped around Nurse M. Pinkerton are interested hospital patients.”
That same day, Feb. 26, there was a Mothers’ March on Polio in 12 Montreal communities. The march raised $13,000 for the fight against polio.
American medical researcher Jonas Salk created an injectable vaccine against polio that was introduced in Canada and the United States in 1955. An oral polio vaccine developed by Albert Sabin was introduced in 1961. The two vaccines have virtually eliminated polio from the world.