“IRON LUNGS” AS GIFT

Southland Times, Issue 23675, 25 November 1938, Page 5

“IRON LUNGS” AS GIFT

EVERY HOSPITAL IN EMPIRE NEW OFFER BY LORD NUFFIELD MANUFACTURE AT MORRIS WORKS PLANNED (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received November 24, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, November 23. Lord Nuffield has announced that he is providing every hospital and institution throughout the Empire with an “iron lung” of Australian design, of which it is expected 5000 will be required, to be available by March 1939. The cost is estimated at £500,000, “The immediate concern is the saving of life,” declared Lord' Nuffield. “The biggest hospitals will receive three or four. Every institution throughout the Empire is entitled to one, regardless of its whereabouts.” Asked about Australia and New Zealand, Lord Nuffield replied that there might be difficulty, but if they wanted one it must be supplied. The “iron lung” is designed-by a South Australian, Mr E. T. Both, and it owes its creation to the Australian epidemic of infantile paralysis last year. Arrangements for its manufacture for Lord Nuffield have been made through Mr Both and the firm of D. and J. Fowler, Adelaide, which is undertaking to service the apparatus for £1 a year. The requirements of the Dominions and the colonies will be ascertained from the agents-general and recipients will be required to pay the cost of transport from Oxford. The designer, Mr Both, visited London from Adelaide with his patent device for measuring heartbeats. He heard a radio SOS for an “iron lung” and offered the London County Council his design which, as the result of the epidemic, had enabled South Australia to manufacture it at half the price of the American patent. The South Australian agency-general arranged for a window display and inquiries about the device were received from all over the world. The hospital drew the attention of Lord Nuffield to the matter and he invited Mr Both to interview him, undertaking to manufacture an “iron lung” at the Morris works at perhaps one-tenth of its present cost and one-thirtieth of the cost of the American type. BRITAIN FIRST Lord Nuffield is making 1000 immediately for presentation to British hospitals and afterwards he will make gifts to hospitals throughout the Empire. Lord Nuffield added that he was most concerned about isolated hospitals, such as those in Australia and Canada, where there must be a long time between the call for the apparatus and its arrival. The new. “iron, lung” costs £9B and it consists largely of five-ply wood, its lightness reduces the transport problem. Lord Nuffield’s benefactions in recent years are now nearly £13,000,000. Mr Both’s “iron lung” can be used by patients in their homes, as it is easy to handle, with simple airtight devices and a zip-fastened rubber collar. The London County Council has an improved waistcoat for convalescents, designed by Professor Burstall, of Mel-, bourne, who declined to patent it on the grounds of its humanitarian value. The new design consists of two pieces, adjustable to fit any patient. Its cost, with an electric pump, is £3O. It is understood that Lord Nuffield will shortly visit Australia again. GIFT MAY BENEFIT SOUTHLAND MR GOLDEN’S COMMENT The “iron lung” had been extremely useful in certain cases and the Southland Hospital Board would be glad of the opportunity to install one, said Mr T. Golden, chairman of the Southland Hospital Board, when the cable message was referred to him last evening. They could never tell when a case would be admitted that would need “iron lung” treatment, and experience had shown that it was likely to be of great benefit to patients. Lord Nuffield’s was one of those gifts that benefactors sometimes gave to humanity, Mr Golden added.