1928: A young polio sufferer at Children’s Hospital in Boston becomes the first person to use the iron lung artificial respirator. Her recovery from respiratory failure is nearly instantaneous.

Artificial respiration had been attempted before. As far back as the late 1700s, physicians were experimenting with a bellows system. That was discarded, and during the 1800s several methods were tried. None achieved much success.

The iron lung was invented by Philip Drinker, an industrial hygienist from the Harvard School of Public Health. Its cylindrical chamber encases a person’s entire body, save for ...