iron lung

noun

: a device for artificial respiration in which rhythmic alternations in the air pressure in a chamber surrounding a patient's chest force air into and out of the lungs

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web This includes one of the first batches of the polio vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk in 1955 and specialized syringes and vaccination cards from that era, as well as an authentic iron lung machine, multiple artificial hearts and an extensive selection documenting the fight against AIDS. —

Ashraf Khalil, Star Tribune, 9 Mar. 2021 No one’s in an iron lung. —

Brenda Goodman, CNN, 22 Aug. 2022 Tools such as the iron lung saved thousands of polio victims’ lives when the disease caused respiratory failure. —

Christian Millman, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2019 Those who survived the virus might be left using crutches, confined to a wheelchair, or needing an iron lung. —

Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 12 Dec. 2021 And the iron lung, as well as its predecessor, the ventilator, are downright elementary in design compared with the large number of technologies that converge in a modern dialysis machine. —

Christian Millman, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2019 Sidney Busis, a young physician at the time, performed tracheotomies on two-year-old children, making an incision in their necks and enclosing them in iron lung to artificially sustain their breathing. —

Carl Kurlander, Discover Magazine, 2 Apr. 2020 Many of those who are still living today are in a wheelchair, and a few are still in an iron lung. —

Sara Reardon, Scientific American, 19 Aug. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'iron lung.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1930, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of iron lung was in 1930

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Iron lung.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iron%20lung. Accessed 3 Jun. 2023.

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Kids Definition

iron lung

noun

: a device for artificial respiration in which the air pressure in a chamber surrounding a patient's chest changes in a rhythm and forces air into and out of the lungs

Medical Definition

iron lung

noun

: a device for artificial respiration in which rhythmic alternations in the air pressure in a chamber surrounding a patient's chest force air into and out of the lungs especially when the nerves governing the chest muscles fail to function because of polio

called also Drinker respirator