Ed Roberts in his Iron Lung

Conversation between Ed Roberts and Robert Ferrand about the Iron Lung.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Iron
• Lung
• Ed
• Roberts
• Robert
• Ferrand

[angryniggah]

Ed, you are an awesome inspiration. This is just an amazing video and you are gracious to allow us  a glimpse into your life.

[SADDLETECH]

BACKGROUND ON THIS VIDEO:

This film was produced in 1990. It is a conversation between Ed Roberts and Robert Ferrand, and is part of a larger video currently in production.

Ed Roberts (1939-1995) was an international leader in the independent living and disability rights movements.

Robert Ferrand is an inventor, who built a wooden respirator for Dr. Duncan Holbert, commissioned by Crosby/Nash. Duncan Holbert

contracted polio in the 1950's and was Ed Roberts inspiration.

[mosaicmomma]

You can stop using my father's name as the recipient of a wooden iron lung (respirator) you supposedly built for him. You NEVER built it! You accepted money from Crosby/Nash and bought some tools, wood, and a van for yourself. Keep his name out of your self-serving advertising.

[SADDLETECH]

IN POINT OF FACT: The Wooden Lung was built by me in 1979, years after being funding by the Point Foundation to WRITE A FEASIBILITY STUDY to determine if a Wooden Respirator could be built. This Point Foundation seed funding was provided by David Crosby and Graham Nash

However, the Holbert Family expected a life support system to be built in less than 3 months for under $8,000, TOTALLY UNREALISTIC. Completely ignoring that Medical Devices are regulated by the Food & Drug Administration.

[SADDLETECH]

I have post a film on Youtube, called the Wooden Lung, documenting the construction of the Wooden Lung, which refutes your claim that it was never built. I believe an apology is in order.

[dilbert250]

how do they go to the bathroom?

[AntiMusick]

where is part 2?

You would think that their would be iron lungs with openings for the occupier to have there hands come out ... you would think they could have built the iron lung to only encase the chest area like a pressurized space suit.

[virtual4desires]

I dont know how anyone would wanna live like this.

[papersplease]

lol karate. What a great sense of humour given the circumstances. Puts our petty worries into perspective.

[TheGloryOfWar]

@jibsonable forever ...

[Xerox6085I]

@Morna777 As I understand it, (my great uncle Taft) had polio. Depending on how severe Polio inflicts you, you can be partially paralyzed or completely paralyzed. There is a story of a woman who could walk around and only used a iron lung at night.

[mantelmann13]

What a nightmare.

[Fishheadofdoom]

What would this guy do if he had an itchy nose?

[AntiMusick]

@Morna777 those respirators are not as good as an Iron Lung and break down, according to people who use them.

[Morna777]

@AntiMusick ummm...people who had polio and require this equipment are completely paralyzed. They can't move at all, so being able to stick hands outside doesn't have much purpose. Though respirators are used for people in this condition that do allow them to move around. Christopher Reeve used one.

[jibsonable]

@dilbert250 i know i think of those things like astronauts...how long do they stay in the iron lung?