‘Polio Paul’ defies the odds to survive living inside an iron lung for 70 years

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Paul contracted polio in 1952 during a major outbreak in the US, leaving him paralysed from the neck down at just 6 years old (Image: AP)
Paul contracted polio in 1952 during a major outbreak in the US, leaving him paralysed from the neck down at just 6 years old (Image: AP)

"Polio Paul" has defied the odds to survive living inside an iron lung for 70 years - but how has he managed it?

Paul Alexander, a man who has been dubbed "Polio Paul," has defied the odds by spending seven decades inside a 600-pound iron lung, steadfastly rejecting modern alternatives.

At 77 years old, Guinness World Records recognised him in March as the longest-running iron lung patient in history.

Paul's relentless battle began in 1952 when he contracted polio at the age of six during one of the worst outbreaks in the history of the United States, which saw nearly 58,000 cases, primarily affecting children.

Polio attacks motor neurons in the spinal cord, crippling the body's ability to breathe without assistance. Thankfully, a life-saving vaccine was introduced in 1955, leading to the eventual eradication of polio from the U.S. in 1979. But for Paul, from Texas, it was already too late; he remains paralyzed from the neck down.

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‘Polio Paul’ defies the odds to survive living inside an iron lung for 70 yearsHe was placed in an iron lung, a now-obsolete breathing machine that he has used for over 70 years (AP)

Following his diagnosis, Paul underwent an emergency tracheotomy and was placed in an iron lung, a machine that hasn't been manufactured since the late '60s due to technological advancements. The iron lung, an airtight capsule, covers everything except the head, using negative pressure to draw in oxygen and expand the lungs, allowing the patient to breathe.

Despite more modern options becoming available, Paul has steadfastly clung to his iron lung, citing his familiarity with the contraption and his reluctance to undergo the procedure required for newer devices.

In a 2020 interview with The Guardian, Paul explained his attachment to his "old iron horse" and his refusal to get another throat hole required for contemporary machines. He has even learned a technique called "frog breathing," which involves using throat muscles to swallow oxygen one mouthful at a time, pushing it down the throat and into the lungs, allowing him to breathe briefly outside the iron lung.

‘Polio Paul’ defies the odds to survive living inside an iron lung for 70 yearsDespite being confined to the iron lung, Paul earned a college degree, law degree, practiced law, and wrote a memoir. (AP)

Despite his confinement, Paul has achieved remarkable feats. He completed high school, earned a college degree, obtained a law degree, practiced law for several decades, and authored a memoir, all while dependent on his iron lung. His Said in an interview in 2021: "I never gave up, and I'm [still] not going to."

As he has aged, Paul requires round-the-clock care at a facility in Dallas. “He struggles to maintain his iron lung, afford healthcare and find housing that accommodates his needs. Paul lives in a small one-room apartment that does not have a window,” reads a GoFundMe plea in November 2022, claiming Paul was a victim of “theft.”

Lucy Williamson

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