It's still not clear how someone in an iron lung goes to the bathroom?

Question

This is the relevant section of the article that spawned this question:

The iron lung that she used was a cylindrical chamber with a seal at the neck. She lay on her back in the device with only her head exposed, and made eye contact with visitors using an angled mirror above her head. The lung worked by producing positive and negative pressure on the lungs that caused them to expand and contract so that she could breathe.

In other words, the article implies that the iron lung was sealed and that the only part of her body that was exposed was her head. If it was sealed, how could they have changed her diaper? How could they have taken her out in order to bathe her--and to sanitize the iron lung? Wouldn't she have stopped breathing?

Answer 1

I can't answer your question either, but in reference to someone else's answer, they do still use these. There are some disorders where one cannot use the more modern, portable respiratory aids. Wikipedia it.

Answer 2

I can't really answer your question, but I was wondering the same exact thing!!!!

Answer 3

I have though about this myself. And what about when the person in the lung has a monthly cycle? I wonder about how the hygiene happens also. I think that story was very tragic because the family had to watch her die.

Answer 4

I don't think they use those anymore. Instead they use ventilators which force air into the lungs under pressure.

But they were to assist your breathing. I think you could survive a few minutes outside of it.