MAN IN IRON LUNG

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 June 1938, Page 12

MAN IN IRON LUNG

HOPE OF HIS RECOVERY Improvement in the condition of Frederick B. Suite, jun., of Chicago, who- was stricken with infantile paralysis in China twenty-five months ago, so that he is able to breathe naturally for twenty-three minutes, has given rise to hopes for his eventual recovery, sa'id a mOssaige from Miami to the “Chicago l Tribune 1 ” on April 30. Ten' months ago, physicians said Suite could not live more than five 1 minutes outside an iron lung. Since Suite wals brought' to t'he family’s Winter home at Miami last October, the original 10001 b lung in which he was brought back to the United States from Pekin, China., has' been supplanted for daytime use by an aluminum an'd rubber respirator that weighs only 17 pounds 'and permits Suite to be kept at a sitting position for several hours at a time.

Only ’Suite’s thorax muscl'ete arc paralysed. Recent examination showed his lungs and’ heart unimp'aired by the long illness, and attendants say they know no reason why his nerve trunks eventually wll not be restored completely. Attendants made no predictions, however, preferring to let results speak for hi's condition. "I hope l that by next year, Frederick will be able to kick a 1 hole in the reslpirator,” his father, Frederick P>. Snite. <senr., said recently to 400 guests assembled at the Snite home for a party on the se'cond anniversary of young Suite’s confinement in the respirator. NOW MORE CHEERFUL The patient, too, lias', been more cheerful since he l began using the light respirator. Being able to sit in a chair for several hour's 1 has broadened his mental horizon as well as improved his physical condition. Use of the new device permits' attendants' to massage his arms and ie'gs more freely to -staVe off muscle atrophy. The small respirator consists of an aluminium she'll, fitted to the patient’s body and lined with moulded rubber, graduated’ in 1 hardness to sponge rubber that forms an airtight se'al, necessary to make the vacuum that expands and contracts the’ patient’s lungs. A 'similar device, made of wood, and weighing 30 pounds, also ha's been used successfully. An arrangement of mirrors' attached to the big iron lung which en'clo'sies the’ patient’s body permits l Snite to read and play games) with his attendants. At the recent party, Suite watched a series- of 'boxing matches, and spoke to his guests through a microphone. He t'oid them about his two-ye’ar confinement, and expressed the belief that he would be restored to normal heakh. Snite will 1 be taken back to Chicago in the fisrt week in June to remain there' until next Winter. His iron lung will be operated- by batteries’ on the trip from his home to the railroad station, where he will be plalced aibo'ard a. private car, especially equipped for the trip to Chicago. Snite. who is 27 years old, is an experienced traveller. having been taken 9,300 miles by truck, train, and ship from Pekin to Chicago la's-t 1 Summer. Then he" made the 1,500 mile trip to Miami without incident.

Snite was oh a world cruise l when he was stricken by infantile paralysis in Pekin. That he lived th return was because the only iron lung in China was in Pekin', and he was pla’ced in it without loss of time.