Infant Lungmotor

WLMD ID: ainh

Children and adults can suffer breathing difficulties. Resuscitators were used for these emergencies, as well as for victims of smoke inhalation, drowning and electric shock. Lungmotors were made by the Lifesaving Devices Company of Chicago. Although manually operated, these capitalized on the success of the motorized Draeger Pulmotor. The adult-size Lungmotor was standard equipment in many fire-fighting companies. The infant model had to be used with caution to protect the small, fragile lungs of these patients; but anxious rescuers could pump too forcefully. Like the Pulmotor, these devices were condemned by studies which showed that they were liable to do more harm than good.

Catalog Record: Infant Lungmotor

Access Key: ainh
Accession No.: 369

Title: Infant lungmotor / designed by the Life Saving Devices Co.

Corporate Author: Life Saving Devices Co.

Title variation: Alt Title
Title: Infant lung motor.

Publisher: Chicago : Life Saving Devices Co., [1915-1930?].

Physical Descripttion: 1 artificial respiration device : aluminum, nickel plated metal ; 22 x 12 x 5.5 cm.

Subject: Resuscitation.
Subject: Respiration, Artificial – instrumentation.
Subject: Anesthesia, Pediatric.
Subject: Infant, Newborn.
Subject: Asphyxia Neonatorum.

Note Type: General
Notes: Title from manufacturer’s markings on the instrument.

Note Type: With
Notes: Printed directions for using the lungmotor are held in the ephemera
collection.

Note Type: Citation
Notes: Arnold JO. Birth mortality, with the presentation of some practical helps in
the prevention and treatment of asphyxia neonatorum. Am Med.
1915;21(2):661-671.

Note Type: Citation
Notes: Device for inducing respiration artificially. Iron Age. 1913;92(21):1913.

Note Type: Physical Description
Notes: An artificial respiratory device composed of two cylinders, a plunger, and
two nozzles or spouts; The lungmotor is 31 cm in length when the plunger is
extended to its fullest; The upward motion of the plunger fills one cylinder
with air and/or oxygen, and the other cylinder with air from the lungs of the
patient; A downward stroke of the plunger forces the fresh air/oxygen into
the lungs from one cylinder and the pushes the exhaled air from the patient
into the room air; Manufacturer’s markings on the handle of the plunger:
“LIFE SAVING DEVICES CO. [new line] MADE IN CHICAGO U.S.A.”; The canisters
are held together by common end-frames; Between the two canisters is a metal
tube with manufacturers markings and two pairs of small holes; One pair of
holes has “MEDIUM” marked above it; The other pair of holds has “SMALL”
marked below it; Marked above “MEDIUM” in the uppermost area of the central
tube is “US [newline] PATENT”; Marked below “SMALL” in the lowermost area of
the central tube is “FOREIGN [new line] PATENTS”; Between the pair of holes
are more manufacturer’s markings: “INFANT [new line] LUNG [new line] MOTOR”;
A double-pronged pin attached to the lungmotor by a chain can be inserted
into the holes to regulate the volume of air/oxygen delivered; A pair of
spouts or nozzles extend from the proximal end of the lungmotor; The nozzles
taper in ”steps’ or ‘rungs’; The lungmotor is accompanied by a replacement
nozzle-head with smooth-tapering nozzles, and a mask with two ribbed
connector-tubes that allow the mask to attach directly to the proximal end of
the lungmotor.

Note Type: Reproduction
Notes: Photographed by Mr. William Lyle, 7/27/2010; The accompanying replacement
head and mask were not photographed.

Note Type: Historical
Notes: The design and manufacture of this artificial respiratory device was most
likely inspired by the 1907 Drager Pulmotor, a device designed to resuscitate
miners and other adults. A 1913 description of the original Lungmotor, in the
weekly publication The Iron Age, indicated that adjustments to the stroke of
the plunger could provide the volumes of air required for the “largest adult
down to the infant” (Device for Inducing …,1913). A photograph of the Infant
Pulmotor in use can bee seen in a 1915 article by J.O. Arnold, in the journal
American Medicine on page 670.