Pitt Public Health Colleagues,
Last Tuesday morning, you may have noticed the commotion around the arrival and uncrating of a 614-pound bright yellow, metallic cylinder in the lobby outside G23. This mechanical ventilator, or iron lung, was the common treatment for children unable to breathe due to poliomyelitis. On April 12, 1955, the polio vaccine developed at the University of Pittsburgh by Jonas Salk and his team was announced as "Safe, effective, and potent." The widespread introduction of the Salk's vaccine led polio disease rates to plummet and consigned the iron lung largely to the past.
If you haven’t already done so, I invite you to view the “iron lung” exhibit we installed just inside the Pitt Public Health Fifth Avenue entrance earlier this week. With this installation, we seek to honor one of the great public health "wins" of the last century.
Here’s a video about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU45x4DPmSE&feature=youtu.be.
And here’s some information about polio, iron lungs, and Jonas Salk:
POLIOMYELITIS : Epidemics of poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, terrified the nation in the 1940’s and 1950’s. By weakening muscles — especially those responsible for breathing— a polio virus infection could lead to respiratory paralysis and death.
IRON LUNGS : Negative pressure mechanical ventilators, or “iron lungs” were used to carry out the work of paralyzed respiratory muscles until sufficient muscle function was restored for independent breathing. In some cases an iron lung was needed for the patient’s entire life.
JONAS SALK AND THE POLIO VACCINE: In 1955, a vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk and his team here at the University of Pittsburgh Virus Research Laboratory was shown to be protective against polio. Cases in the USA plummeted, and iron lungs became historical relics.
THIS IRON LUNG: This iron lung is a generous gift to Pitt Public Health from the Salk Institute. Located in La Jolla, California, and widely considered one of the top biological research centers in the world, the Salk Institute was founded in 1960 by Jonas Salk.
There's been a great deal of media and social media coverage of this potent symbol of public health over recent days, including
Regards,
Don
Donald S. Burke, MD
Distinguished University Professor of Health Science and Policy
UPMC Jonas Salk Chair in Global Health
Dean, Graduate School of Public Health
University of Pittsburgh
(412) 624-3001
4/11/2018