Lititz, My Hometown

I was born and raised in Lancaster County, PA. It was a great place to grow up. In the center of Lititz, was the Wilbur Chocolate Company, and we could smell the roasting of the cocoa beans (which is the lovely chocolate smell) all over town. We also had the very first Pretzel Bakery in the USA. Sturgis Pretzel Bakery is still on Main Street, and you can stop by and see how pretzels are made, and even make a pretzel yourself (there is a unique "twist" to it). In the Lititz Springs Park, many events take place throughout the year. One of the most outstanding and unusual is the 4th of July Candle Lighting Ceremony. In the evening, one girl from Warwick High School is crowned "Queen of the Candles" to reign over the "Fairyland of Candles." The queen then lights the candles of her court and Scouts from the Lititz area will spread out to light the colossal display of candles throughout the park. Soon the park is aglow with the brilliance of over 7000 candles illuminating the evening sky. This year was the 182nd celebration. In the earlier celebrations only a few hundred candles were used. The candles were homemade tapers made of a special formula of beeswax, tallow and other ingredients. The work was done by a member of the committee and his family in the winter months and stored in a cool place until the 4th of July. In about 1950, commercial candles replaced the homemade ones. There are many Moravian Church traditions associated with the town of Lititz. One that is still done today is the ringing of the church bells. The "half-past-eleven bell" is rung each weekday as it was over two hundred years ago. It was the way the town called the workers from the fields for dinner (the noon time meal was dinner, and the evening meal was supper). The Moravian Church bells are rung at 6:00 am on the morning of the 4th of July to announce the beginning of the day's celebration just like in the olden days.

JUST A LITTLE HISTORY: Lititz was founded in 1756 by Count Zinzendorf, a Moravian. The community only gave permission for Moravians to settle there. When I was a girl (in the 50s and 60s) we did have other protestant denominations in town, including Lutheran, Mennonite, and Church of the Brethren. We also had a Roman Catholic Church. Not exactly the diversity we see today, but growth in terms of the closed community it once was. When I was about 9 years old, we celebrated our bi-centennial (200 years) and it was a grand celebration. This was just one of the many parades they had in town: fire engines, school bands, twirlers, boy scouts, girl scouts, and probably some politicians, too. Nice thing was that it always went by our house, so we could just sit on the porch and enjoy the festivities.
The Lititz Springs Park is over 17 acres and was part of a grant of 491 acres, donated to the Moravian Church by George and Anna Klein in 1755. In 1956, the Moravian Congregation gave the park over to a board of twelve trustees, made up of member from 9 area churches and three members from the public at large. They raise money to keep the park in a good state of repair, and the 4th of July celebration is the largest money maker and helps to provide needed funds.
For a personal look at PA Dutch music, dialect, and memories: Bop's Pa. Dutch Vorld Vide Vep Paitch or in case you need it translated: "Bob's PA Dutch World Wide Web Page." Check it out! Links to some of my other pages:

• Christmas Dinner at Grandma's House
• What Christmas Means To Me
  
• My Family Recipes

and my alma maters:

• Warwick High School, Lititz, PA
  
• Mansfield University, (1965-1969), great small town atmosphere in north central PA:
  not too far from the PA Grand Canyon and the picturesque little town of Wellsboro.
  
  

WGAL-TV, Lancaster, PA.


© 1997-2001 JKH

Foods that Shut Down Stress

Foods that Shut Down Stress

JANN HARTMAN·SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 2017

You are what you eat. Foods can help you deal with STRESS and even shut it down! Many times what we eat during times of stress are actually the foods that can make it worse. The worst stress producers are foods such as coffee, cocktails, regular teas, caffeinated sodas, salty foods, candy bars, sugary desserts, and high fat foods. So what should you eat?

CAFFEINE-FREE BEVERAGES: Try green and herbal teas. They provide necessary trace minerals, such as zinc and selenium. Try some Chamomile tea or papaya juice which provide tryptophan, an amino acid with a tranquilizing effect.

RAW VEGETABLES: Along with being a great source of fiber, they also contain nerve-soothing potassium, and they are naturally low in sodium. Plus, you get vitamins A and D, and folic acid. Try some dark greens added to your salad: parsley, watercress, and dandelion.

WHOLE GRAINS and NUTS: Great sources of vitamin E, potassium, pantothenic acid (an anti-stress B vitamin). These are nutrients often missing from most fast foods. Magnesium (nature's tranquelizer) is abundant in nuts. Try a bran muffin, oatmeal, wheat germ cereal, and nuts and seeds (even better salt free).

YOGURT: Rich in vitamins A, D, B-complex and a great lowfat source of protein, It is high in calcium which eases the stress of insomnia and migraine headaches. Yogurt is digested 50% faster than regular milk or cheese, so it is very easy on the whole digestive system. Try a breakfast "sundae" made from alternating layers of plain yogurt and and fresh (or frozen) berries.

SEA VEGETABLES and SPROUTS: Dried seaweeds are an acquired taste, but a little can be good sprinkled a fish chowder or salad. Kelp, dulse, and spirulina are high in sodium, but also high in protein, calcium, fiber, and vitamin A. And a cup of fresh sprouts has more vitamin C than strawberries. Try a salad with sprouts, greens, and some dulse flakes.

SOYBEANS: Soy foods are a great source of calcium, magnesium, B-complex vitamins, protein, and tryptophan. Soy is lower in calories, sodium and saturated fats than meats. Try a tuna salad with cubes of tofu mixed in, or roasted soynuts for a snack, or a tofu shake. Next time you're stressing out, reach for a food that can help your body shut down stress, instead of something that might add to it.

Sunrise at Campobello

 

[The movie is adapted from a 3 act play by writer-producer Dore Schary which was first presented by The Theatre Guild in NYC on January 30, 1958 at the Cort Theatre.]
Mr. Schary discloses that once he decided to write the play, he knew that it would end with the powerful image of FDR at the podium at the Democratic National Convention in NYC.  "On June 26, 1924, FDR stood at the podium in Madison Square Garden and nominated Alfred E. Smith as the Presidential candidate for the Democratic Party."
(Sunrise at Campobello: a play in three acts, Dore Schary, 1958, inside notes)
This movie covers 34 months in the life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt from the day he gets sick at Campobello to the day FDR "stands" to deliver the nominating speech for New York Governor, Alfred Smith.  Ralph Bellamy captures the essence of FDR just as he did in broadway hit.  Hume Cronyn plays Louis Howe, FDR's friend and political advisor. The movie garnered 4 Academy Award® nominations: Best Actress for Greer Garson as Eleanor, Best Interior Decoration, Best Sound, and Best Costume Design.  You can see the beginnings of what author Hugh Gregory Gallagher calls "FDR's Splendid Deception" in his book of the same name.  (More on FDR's plans to do the nomination in Gallagher's book, FDR's Splendid Deception, p. 59-62)
FDR got infantile paralysis (called poliomyelitis, or polio) while vacationing at his family's summer home at Campobello, New Brunswick, Canada, in August 1921.  Although totally paralyzed by polio, FDR gains back the use of his arms and develops great upper body strength.  To the outside world, he appeared robust and healthy when in reality he was unable to walk unassisted.  He needed to use braces on both legs as well as crutches.  He mastered the art of appearing able-bodied (when he was not) by using a cane and the arm of a companion (often his son).  This deception was born of necessity especially for anyone with political aspirations, like FDR.  Though unsure that he could deliver the nominating speech on his feet, FDR assures NY Governor Smith: "You certainly can't make an effective speech sitting down." The movie exteriors were filmed at Campobello in NB, Canada, as well as in Manhatten and Hyde Park in NY. The interiors were duplicated from the real Roosevelt homes. There are ramps that FDR needed in order to accommodate his wheelchair (he used a kitchen chair with no sides that was fitted with wheels).  Also, shown is FDR's challenge to master his heavy metal braces which were admittedly hard to fit and often uncomfortable.  And, you see the pride FDR felt after learning how to pull himself upstairs by upper body strength and sheer determination.  Even though his mother was not at all as impressed with his "accomplishment." The movie gives a glimpse into FDR's life as he deals with the truth of his disability.  He faced many challenges, defeat, and ultimately despair as he tried in vain to strengthen his flail legs as he had his arms.  FDR was lucky to have the support he needed to get on with his life.  The press also respected his privacy to a greater degree than is possible today. Few still pictures were taken that show the extent of FDR's disability.  Most pictures show him either already seated or "propped" at the podium in such a way that he "appears" to be standing normally.  That takes tremendous effort and skill (something those with Polio often learn to do very well). As we know, FDR was elected a record four terms as US President.  And, he was a well respected world leader in spite of his tremendous disability.  In March 1957,  Dore Schary wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt to ask for permission to write the play:
"What I propose to tell is the story of a man and the people around him who, after an ordeal, emerged strong and triumphant.  I hope to write a tribute that will do justice to a phase of his life. I pledge my devotion and whatever skill I may have to do the task."    And then he adds, "I hope, with all my heart, that the task is well done." (This excellent docudrama, adapted from an award winning broadway play, is well worth watching.  It is sometimes shown on the movie channels, and was released on video in 1992.) Related Books: FDR's Splendid Deception, Hugh Gregory Gallagher, 1999.
  "The moving story of Roosevelt's massive disability--and the intensive efforts to conceal it from the public."
Sunrise at Campobello, a play in three acts, Dore Schary, 1958:
"This is a story of spirit and stamina and great personal courage.  It is the story of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's fight to break free from the illness that crippled him...a fight, that was destined to determine the course of his life--and the lives of millions of Americans."

Pictures of FDR "standing":
FDR standing at a podium in GA.
FDR "braced" at podium (holds the lectern with his left hand and makes gestures with his right hand).
FDR standing with both braces, holding onto another person, and using a cane.
JKH, 2001 

Polio Epidemic in Lancaster, PA, 1953

 

These "hot packs" are woolen pieces of cloth that were super heated, and put on the affected limbs (both of my legs were paralysed). They were left on until they lost most all their heat, but were removed before they cooled too much. This was part of the treatment that Sister Kenny, a young nurse from Australia devised to help those with Polio. She was a wise woman, a nurse who was very under-appreciated at the time.
 This picture was one of many taken at the local hospital where I spent several weeks in isolation, and getting "hot pack" treatments, and physical therapy, before transferring to the State Hospital for rehabilitation. September, 1953

While I was in the Elizabethtown Crippled Children's Hospital (which is now part of the Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA), I turned 6 years old. That's why I am dressed up and have all the gifts. My parents were only allowed to visit for a few hours every other Sunday. I sure missed them, as I spent almost a year in that hospital.

This is a picture of my mother visiting me. All visitors were required to wear masks. I am glad things are much better for kids who are hospitalized today. Parents are now allowed to be with their children for loving support. My mother even volunteered at the hospital in order to see me more often. They also brought food from home even though they weren't allowed to do that either.

This is my Dad, his mask is dropped!  Not long to visit, so it was hard for us kids to see our family members leave. But, I knew they loved me and would be back. And, someday, I just know that I would go home again...


Finally, after returning home, we took our first family vacation back to Ocean City. I had learned to walk quite well with a long, right leg brace or just using crutches. I loved to swim and loved to swim at the beach. I was allowed to do anything I felt I could do, and I grew up to be a typical teenager.  Below is a picture of me wearing my cool class jacket: Warwick High School, class of 1965. Looks like I have a broken leg instead of a Polio operation one September.  A nice deception, but not the truth. My true friends didn't care, and I was blessed with many dear, true friends in my life.

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© 2002 Jann Hartman, Polio Connectons (updated 10/2014)

Jann's Polio Story, 1953

I had a normal and very wonderful childhood in a small town in PA. Life was good, until the summer of 1953. I was about to start first grade in September, after a Labor Day Vacation in Ocean City, MD. I loved the beach! What we didn't know was that I had been exposed to the poliovirus, and it was replicating in me. When I got sick, I had typical "flu-like" symptoms of nausea, headache, muscle pains. That passed for the moment, and I had a great end-of-the-summer vacation. I did start school on the first day, but I did not feel well. It was a l-o-n-g day, and by the time I walked home, I was dragging my right leg. I was put to bed, and never returned to school that year. The next day, I could no longer use either leg and had to be carried to the bathroom.

By the end of the week, I was in Lancaster General Hospital (LGH) in total "isolation." No parents or any other visitors were allowed in my room. My parents did get permission to see and talk to me from the hallway wearing protective masks. I do not remember having the spinal tap that confirmed the awful diagnosis of "infantile paralysis." Also called "poliomyelitis" or just plain "polio". But, it is in my hospital records and might well have been one of things repressed by a scared little girl alone in the hospital. That diagnosis was to change the rest of my life.

There's an old saying that when you are dealt lemons, you make lemonade. That's a little too much for a 5 year old to handle all alone; but luckily, I had a wonderful family who helped me with the "lemonade." I got polio just a year or so before the Salk vaccine was considered safe enough to be distributed to all children in the schools. This "summer plague" was terrorizing families. Everyone knew someone who had had polio. But, I was the only one in my hometown to come down with this polio strain in September of 1953. My family was "quarantined," and my brother was not allowed to go to school. There was great fear of polio spreading to others. The clothes that I wore to the hospital were supposed to be burned. But, my mother was a good seamstress and had made them, so they did allow my mom to have my clothes dry cleaned, instead. It was a very hard time for my family. I knew nothing of what they were going through as was having to deal with a lot of things in the hospital on my own. This was before the days of having your family with you when you were a child in the hospital. I had to believe that what they were doing for me, to me, was for the best. There was no one to speak for me, and I felt a sort of abandonment because of the hospital rules at the time. My parents were wonderful and tried every way they could to be with me, and do things for me. I knew my parents and others were sad about what happened to me. I got lots of cards and gifts, and visits when allowed.

In the LGH, I had wonderful nurses who tried to be there and help when my family was not allowed. But, my days were filled with lots of unfamiliar medical interventions. I had my blood drawn more often than I care to remember, and daily shots for some reason. It provided me with a fear of needles that remains today. Back in those days needles were not disposable and so they were sterilized and reused...and dull! My long blond naturally curly hair ended up in knots from lying in bed, and it was cut short by the "barber". I was paralyzed from the neck down with my arms being spared (or so I thought at the time). I couldn't even lift my head up. I also thought I was spared pulmonary paralysis (bulbar polio) since I did not have to be put into the gigantic and scary "Iron Lung", but one sat out in the hall. My legs were wrapped in "hot, wool cloths" that were part of the Sister Kenny treatment. I was given a salt pill with a little molasses (to help it go down) each evening. The "hot packs", as they were called, were applied several times a day. After about six weeks, I was transferred to the State Hospital for Crippled Children, in Elizabethtown, PA. It was sad leaving LGH and the care of the nurses who had become a second family to me. I had been getting more visitors, and my room was becoming cheery. I even had been allowed to listen a radio somebody gave to me (there were no TVs in the hospital back then). I was becoming settled, and I guess I thought I would soon go home. Little did I know that it would be almost a year until I would be home. And, at Elizabethtown my life was to change yet again, and I would have another big adjustment to make.

I was put into a ward of children who had many kinds of crippling diseases. I have no ideas how many girls were in this "big room" with one little TV mounted near the ceiling at one end of the room. I remember being told that the girl in the bed next to me had Cerebral Palsy. I did not know of any other polios than myself, but I am sure there were others there at the time. For some reason, we were not allowed to have pillows, so I put my little teddy bear under my head at night. He became my constant companion in that hospital. We stored all our "stuff" in a drawer under the bed. I do not remember turning 6 the end of November, but there are pictures me and all the presents I received. I do not remember Thanksgiving. I barely remember Christmas. Although I do remember "Santa Claus" came to visit us in the ward one night. I got a ceramic angel, and it became a treasured possession. I was send cards and got many gifts. I do remember many small presents wrapped by my church Sunday School class. I could open one gift a day, and that was special. Because of the stringent rules in place at that time, I only got to see my parents every other Sunday for a few hours. Most of the time outsiders (even my own parents) had to wear masks: it was awful! It contributed to my feelings of separation and abandonment. I was not told what I needed to do to go home. I would have done anything. I hated the hospital routine, but I put up with it ("bravely," they said). I was a good little "trooper." I just wanted to go home, but they had other plans.

I was given physical therapy in the warm pool in the basement. I loved the warm water, but my memory is that this only happened about once a week or so. I was fitted for a right long leg brace which included a belt around my abdomen because of the weakness in my right hip and abdominal muscles. The brace included brown high-top orthopedic shoes to provide support to my ankles. My left leg had recovered nicely. I learned to walk with my new brace and a pair of wooden crutches. Once I mastered climbing up steps with a heavy piece of steel strapped to my right leg, I was sent home to continue the rest of my life. And, boy was I ready!

I was welcomed home (unlike some towns which forced "polios" to move out--they were like the AIDS patients today--feared). I was blessed to have family and friends for support. The neighborhood kids were invited to a party in my backyard to welcome me home. I even got a paper crown, and was declared "Queen of the Neighborhood". It was wonderful to be home, at last! People may have been afraid for their own children, but I never felt any of that. My childhood continued, and I even turned into a "tomboy". I bent my solid steel metal brace by jumping out of a tree! My parents were told to let me do whatever I wanted and not to "baby" me. They had a hard time letting me get myself up after a fall, but I was encouraged to learn how to take care of myself. And, I am grateful to whoever gave my parents that advise. I had many more trips to the hospital for operations, and trips to the brace man for new braces as I outgrew the old one, or for repair. But, in between, I was living a wonderful, nearly "normal" life again.

While I was in the State Hospital, some photographs were taken of me in the Physical Therapy Room. I barely remember why they were taken. But, it seems the photos were submitted to the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (which became the March of Dimes) started by president Franklin D. Roosevelt. I became the Lancaster County Poster Child for 1955, and the posters were put up in businesses all over the county. My grandfather had one in his office for many years. It was even brown from his cigar smoke, but I still have it today (one of the only ones remaining, I'm sure). My mother was active with the "March of Dimes" and helped to raise a lot of money to help other polio survivors. I was lucky that my dad had good insurance from where he worked, but the National Foundation paid for some things not covered by the insurance, like continuing Physical Therapy. I was happy to be a part of such a wonderful organization. The Lancaster County office was run by Christian Rudy. He was a wonderful, compassionate man who ran a very good organization that helped countless polio patients get the medical help, therapy, and braces and other things that they needed. They even had a yearly Christmas Party for us. It was somehow fitting that they would give us back the "Christmas" that some of us didn't have in the hospital wards.

I participated in sports in school (very badly!). I even took baton twirling lessons (even though I couldn't march!). I was in the school play one year, and student director the other. I learned to drive my sophomore year, and loved this new found freedom. I did not have my own car, but was allowed to use the family's second car, an old greenish blue Ford Falcon. It was great! The very first McDonald's opened up in Lancaster only seven miles away, and my friends and I became constant visitors. It was a great place to meet guys. Like all teenagers in the 60s, I loved "rock and roll", American Bandstand, Elvis, the Beatles and the community dances! I loved to dance: "rock and roll", jitterbug, and even polkas and square dances. It was a good life. Being a teen was wonderful, and I found I could do most everything I wanted to do. Having had polio was no problem for me. I went to a small state college in upstate PA (now Mansfield University), and graduated in 1969 with a BS in Home Economics Education. I even had a teaching job lined up at Pottstown Junior High School before I graduated, and my future was looking good. Polio was something I had recovered from and it could no longer hurt me, or so I thought.

But by 1983, changes were happening to me. By this time, I have been married 13 wonderful years, and have 3 great little boys, and we are living in lower Delaware. It was during a trip to Epcot Center in Florida that I learned that I was no longer able to do all the things I used to do. After a morning walking around seeing the exhibits, I found I couldn't walk any further as my hip hurt so badly. We made it out of the park somehow (never thinking to ask for a wheelchair), and I thought I'd never be able to return to a park again. I stayed away from all flea markets and malls in fact anywhere that involved more than a little walking. In retrospect, what I was experiencing is called Post Polio Syndrome (PPS), but it was a few more years before I even know PPS existed...and even more before I was diagnosed with PPS...and then even more until I learned to accept it!

My diagnosis: As a polio survivor from 1953, I finally went to the local post-polio clinic here in Baltimore, MD [now closed, unfortunately]. My PPS was diagnosed at that first clinic visit in 1989, but I still did not know to cut back on my activities. In fact, with the boys all in school, I took a part time job with the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) where I worked as a Nutritionist and Lactation Consultant (LC) until 1996. The pressure was too much for me with quotas for client participation, lack of staff, and super full schedules. I enjoyed the counseling part and felt I contributed a great deal to the program. And with over 20 years experience with Breastfeeding and my Board Certification as an LC, we had a great program for moms and their families. I was sad to leave, and I became depressed for the very first time in my life. My family, friends, and the computer helped pull me out of my depression without medications. It has taken a year, but I feel I am getting a handle on how to get on with my life and enjoy my "retirement"! I am even using a wheelchair more especially for distances, and know I will someday I will most likely be using one all the time. But, I just see it as just one more change in my life: another adjustment to be made.

At this point in my life, I am convinced that I need to plan for the future to make the most of my remaining mobility. I am using mobility aids, like a wheelchair or electric scooter, because of my inability to walk. My husband, John, and I are not putting off anything until later that we can manage to do today. We have taken some wonderful vacations, weekend trips, and cruises. We have been to 11 countries in Europe visiting with some of our friends and family. We are planning to travel in our travel trailer, so I can rest when needed, and see more of the USA and Canada. After my husband retires, we hope to stay active in any way we can that will not tax the resources that my body has left. I do not have any regrets in my life. I have been surrounded with wonderful friends, too many to list, and I love them all. I am blessed to have wonderful parents and a big brother. And, most of all my partner for life: my husband, who has always been there for me; and our three boys. I feel very blessed, indeed...

I lost my dear husband in 2006, and need to do an update!

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I enjoyed meeting some other people who were at the PA State Hospital for Crippled Children in Elizabethtown at the third reunion picnic at Long's Park in Lancaster one summer. They used to have a picnic about every two years, but the last one was in 2002. If you have been a patient there, please go to their website.

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 © 2004 Jann Hartman, Polio Connections Blog (updated 10/2014)

SISTER KENNY

This movie is based on the book, And They Shall Walk: The Life Story of Sister Elizabeth Kenny,
written in collaboration with Martha Ostenso, 1943.
This 1946 film stars Rosalind Russell as Sister Elizabeth Kenny, a nurse from Australia. Miss Russell insisted that the movie be made; and won a Golden Globe in 1947. That same year she also received an Academy Award® Nomination for the movie. As a nurse in the outback in Australia, Sr. Kenny found that there was no treatment for "infantile paralysis."  And, she was told to treat the symptoms presented.  That's exactly what she did, and the child recovered.  What worked for her was pieces of wool (torn from blankets) that were soaked in hot water and rung out so they wouldn't burn the skin.  Properly done, they provided relief for the affected muscles.  Next, she attempted to retrain the muscles.  This was the beginnings of the famous Kenny Method to treat polio.  However, Sr. Kenny's unorthodoxed methods were not embraced by the medical doctors (either in Australia or England). In 1940, she brought her polio treatments to the USA where her methods were given at least given a chance.  The Sister Kenny Institute, established in 1942, is now part of Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, MN.  "Sister Kenny's pioneering principles of muscle rehabilitation became the foundation of physical therapy."
(quote from the Sister Kenny Institute website) Dr. Henry Holland, a polio survivor from Virginia, writes:   "I thought at least two of the children with polio were real victims, a little boy with crutches and braces and a little girl with braces. The surgical amphitheatre pictured during the confrontation between the orthopedic doctors (Dr. Brach) and Sister Kenny brought back memories of my own medical training. However, I would like to say that this movie was a Hollywood production and was not a documentary." Karolyn Grimes, who was Carolyn (a little girl with polio in the movie) sent me this picture of herself with Sister Kenny and Rosalind Russell.Many Polio survivors will recognize themselves and the treatments portrayed in the movie.  It also shows what this Polio Pioneer gave up to dedicate her life to improving the lives of victims of the Polio Epidemics.

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Books about Sister Elizabeth Kenny (1880-1952):
Sister Kenny: The Woman Who Challenged the Doctors by Victor Cohn
And They Shall Walk: The Life Story of Sister Elizabeth Kenny written in collaboration with Martha Ostenso
The Kenny Concept of Infantile Paralysis and Its Treatment by John Pohl, MD, in collaboration with Elizabeth Kenny.
Rosalind Russell's autobiography: Life is a Banquet

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Other Links:
Dr. Henry writes about Sister Kenny
Sister Elizabeth Kenny: "A Brief History"
Sister Kenny:  Miracle Worker (including several pictures)

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According to Videoflicks.com the movie is not available. They think that the studio that had rights to this film may have chosen to discontinue it, or their rights may have expired.  But, you may be able to get an old copy from one of the auction sites.   It also appears on TV from time to time.

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BIOGRAPHY OF ELIZABETH KENNY (from the Minnesota Historical Society)
Elizabeth Kenny, the daughter of Michael and Mary Kenny, was born September 20, 1886* in New South Wales, Australia. At 16 she graduated from St. Ursula's College, Queensland, Australia. She received her nursing training at a private hospital and served as a nurse in the Australian bush country from 1911 to 1914. It was during this period that she encountered her first case of infant paralysis (1909) and developed her treatment for the disease. During World War I Kenny served as an Australian Army nurse and was promoted to the rank of "sister," the Nurse Corps equivalent to a first lieutenant. After the war Kenny returned to civilian nursing. Her treatment and concept of infant paralysis gained the recognition of the medical profession and the support of the Australian government. Her clinic at Townsville was given government status and Kenny clinics were established throughout the country. Kenny came to the U.S. in the spring of 1940 but was disappointed by the cool reception her treatment technique received on the West and East coasts. In June 1940 she demonstrated her treatment at the University of Minnesota Medical School and Minneapolis General Hospital. The medical personnel at these institutions accepted Kenny's treatment method as an entirely new concept of infantile paralysis and the first American treatment center was opened at Minneapolis General Hospital. In December 1942 the City of Minneapolis established the Elizabeth Kenny Institute and the following year the Sister Elizabeth Kenny Foundation was formed to financially support the Institute's work and to forward the teaching of the Kenny method throughout the U.S. and abroad. Elizabeth Kenny died November 30, 1952 at her home in Toowoomba, Australia.
[This biographical information is from the Kenny collection at the Minnesota Historical Society]
*Sr. Kenny was actually born in 1880, not 1886 as often reported.  These 6 years were believed "lost" when Sr. Kenny adopted Mary.  Sr. Kenny was probably the first single woman to adopt a child in Queensland.
More details on this webpage: Article:  "Sister Elizabeth Kenny's gravestone set right"

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JKH: 2002

Iron Lung Survivors

I was never in an iron lung, but do remember seeing a couple of them lined up out in the hall at the hospital in Lancaster County, PA. This summer, we took a picture of an old Emerson iron lung (on left) while vacationing in Canada. It was at the Potato Museum on Prince Edward Island, in the little village of O'Leary.
The Drinker respirator was designed by Philip Drinker in 1928. It was manufactured by Warren E. Collins Company (Boston, MA). The Collins-Drinker tank respirator (commonly called an iron lung) was a life-saver for many Bulbar Polio patients. John Emerson, a Harvard engineer, simplified the machine making it easier to manufacturer and thus, less expensive.
These iron lungs were widely available in the 1940s and 1950s saving many lives.
It seems that about 200 iron lungs exist today, and they can be recirculated among people who need them. But, production of the iron lungs ended in the early 90s. I was really surprised to learn that there a few people still living in an iron lung, needing a respirator, or other breathing devises, often full-time.
Marilyn Rogers is a polio survivor from 1949 who spends over 90% of her time in an Emerson iron lung. Yet, she still manages to live a full life. In the book, A Paralyzing Fear, Marilyn talks about "Sunday afternoon" visits that many Polio survivors who were hospitalized remember all too well. It was the only couple of hours each week when the "powers to be" would "allow" visits in those days. I am amazed that Marilyn was able at her very young age to advocate for herself as well as others to get increased visits from family. And, it seems her father devised a wheelchair for her to use from a lawn chair put on wheels. This way she was able to recline in the way some [very expensive] wheelchairs are designed today.
["A Paralyzing Fear: The triumph Over Polio in America" by Nina Gilden Seavey, p. 25-34]
Dianne Odell from Tennessee, has lived in iron lung over 50 years (since age 3 when she got Polio). But, this didn't stop her from graduating from high school, attending college and writing a book. She is presently working on her aurobiography.
John Prestwich from England has a wonderful website with his wife, Maggie. John is listed in the Guiness Book of World Records.
Mrs. Laurel Nisbet (1912-1985) from California was in an iron lung for over 37 years. And, Mark O'Brien (1949-1999) spent most all of his life in an iron lung.
The book, The Man in the Iron Lung is about Frederick Snite, Jr. (1910-1954) who spent 18 years in an iron lung. This wonderful book was written by his chief attendant, Leonard C. Hawkins, who became his best friend.
"There was no room for self-pity or bitterness in his life which, apart from almost complete confinement in the respirator, was surprisingly normal. He married Teresa Larkin in 1939, and they had three daughters. . . He became a symbol of the triumph of the spirit over the body. The image of 'The Boiler Kid' was frequently seen in newspapers, magazines, and newsreels nationwide. He published a newsletter entitled, appropriately, Back Talk, and his optimism encouraged countless other polio victims. . . . At his funeral in 1954, at the age of 44, he was mourned by many more than the 1500 who came to say farewell to this remarkable, dauntless young man." [Excerpts from information circular "The Fred B. Snite Family," Snite Museum of Art.] Here is an interesting article and a nice picture of Fred, Teresa, and their three girls.
The History of the British Iron Lung 1832 - 1995 by Richard Hill
In the early 1940s, Dr. W. L. Aycock of Harvard University studied the relationship between polio and pregnancy. There seemed to be less of an incidence of polio in women who were pregnant. Studying 75 cases of polio in pregnant women, he found the following. Only 17% of them had polio in the first trimester, 34% during the second trimester, and 49% during the third trimester. It was assumed that it was the hormones of pregnancy that gave a degree of protection. But, not all women were so lucky as the polio virus is indeed very unpredictable. [Polio and Its Problems, Berg, 1948, p. 108]
Viola Pahl has written several wonderful books that are available from her website. She writes: "Granny owes a debt to Alexander Bell. After contracting polio, she spent two weeks in an iron lung. Through the tragedy of losing his young son to weak lungs, Bell invented a device which eventually led to the development of the iron lung." [Granny Loves to Speak Up and Hates to Shut Up, p. 171] "When Viola was seven months pregnant, a tragic event occurred: she contracted polio. Because of this she needed to spend a short time in the iron lung. Thankfully, her baby son was born at full term in perfect health." [p. 196] In the 1950s, Viola wrote the little book, Through the Iron Lung, which is now out of print. But, most of it was incorporated into her autobiographical book, Gold in Life's Hourglass.
In the Shadow of Polio: A Personal and Social History is a very moving book by Kathryn Black, whose mother had Polio and was in an iron lung. Mimi Rudulph, who got Polio while pregnant and was in an iron lung when she gave birth has written about her experience in a book called Inside the Iron Lung. They weren't sure if she could survive the birth. She did, but was devastated when her baby didn't. She hadn't even considered such a cruel twist of fate.
A newspaper headline announced that "A baby boy was delivered by Caesarean section Thursday afternoon to an iron lung polio patient in St. Joseph Hospital." Virginia Glenn called Omaha's Iron Lung Mother, gave birth to a son while in her iron lung. Previously, there was an iron lung birth in Minneapolis in 1949. And in 1981, there was a special on TV in the Twin Cities featuring a women, who had Polio, who was put into an iron lung as a life-saving measure after the birth of her daughter. [World-Herald, Oct. 17, 1952]
And other interesting autobiography is The Iron Cradle by Larry Alexander, as told to Adam Barnett (1954). Larry was 27 years old when he got Polio and unable to breathe he was put into an iron lung. Some of his time out of the lung was spent in a Rocking Bed. In his book it is describes this special devise: "The principle of the bed was simple. When my head was up, my feet were down, my internal organs were pulled by gravity, pulling my diaphragm with them and sucking air into my lings. When my position was reversed, my head down and my feet up, the organs fell against the diaphragm and forced the air out of my lungs." It took some getting used to especially falling backwards. But, Larry found that it wasn't as easy as using his respirator. [p. 120]
Maxwell K. Reynolds, a prominent Marquette citizen, and hospital engineer Lowell Reynolds, designed the first wooden lung. This saved the lives of numerous children throughout the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and elsewhere. "Plans for building the wooden lung were written up in medical journals and used throughout the country. No one patented the design, and no profit was made by anyone involved in the project. The development was truly a community effort, and one that benefited the entire country." Read the whole article here: Marquette General Hospital I also saw this information online recently: Australian Edward Both developed an iron lung made of plywood. The "Both portable respirator" cost a fraction of what an iron lung cost and it was lightweight. These "plywood lungs" were used in hospitals in Australia and throughout the British Empire. ["Memories of polio survivors and those who were disabled with it" The Sydney Morning Herald, December 7, 2004]
Bill Haast has spent his life studying venom from some of the world's most poisonous snakes. In 1956, he was bitten by a Siamese cobra on national television during a live broadcast of "Marlin Perkins's Zoo Parade." He stopped breathing and was put into an iron lung. [Bite Me by Anne Goodwin Sides] Haast also made a mark in polio research when he discovered that cobra venom affected the same nerve endings as the polio virus. And as a result, he discovered a possible treatment for polio.
Dick Francis, whose wife had polio and was in iron lung for a bit, has a character in an iron lung in his 1969 novel, Forfeit.
"Her respirator was the modern cuirass type: a Spiroshell, not the old totally enclosing iron lung. The Spiroshell itself slightly resembled the breastplate of a suit of armor. It fitted over the entire front of her chest, was edged with a thick roll of latex, and was fastened by straps around her body. Breathing was a matter of suction. The pump, which was connected to the Spiroshell by a thick flexible hose, alternately made a partial vacuum inside the shell and then drove air back in again. The vacuum period pulled Elizabeth's chest wall outward, allowing air to flow downward into her lungs. The air-in period collapsed her chest and pushed the used breath out again." [p. 28-29]
I've read that Dick says "Forfeit" was his favorite novel. He identified most with its main character, James Tyrone. Luckily his wife, Mary, wasn't permanently in a lung. She recovered from Polio and became a successful business woman and even a pilot. It seems they were a great couple, and she is sorely missed by her family since her passing.
Herb sent me this information: "What about the people that still use the newer versions of an iron lung? Did you know that a porta-lung is made that does the same function as the old iron lung? Many people need to use these devices on a daily / nightly basis."
Martha Lillard, of Shawnee, OK: "I...just wanted to tell you that I have slept in an Emerson Iron Lung, for 51 years since having Polio in 1953 at age 5."
Martha Mason, from NC, has used an Iron Lung since she had Polio in 1948. She has written a book about her life, Breath: Life in the Rythmn of an Iron Lung.
© 2004 JKH