Last American Living With an Iron Lung Dies at 78, Marking the End of an Era

For most people born after the 1960s, the iron lung is little more than a medical artifact seen in history books or documentaries. Once considered one of the greatest lifesaving inventions of its time, the massive metal ventilator became a symbol of one of the most feared diseases in modern history—polio.

While millions of Americans eventually forgot about the machine after vaccines nearly eliminated the disease, one woman continued to depend on it every single day of her life.