Iron lung a reminder of dreaded polio epidemic of mid-20th century

Iron lung a reminder of dreaded polio epidemic of mid-20th century

EAST GRAND FORKS – For Sidney Berard, 94, the iron lung displayed during the recent Heritage Days in East Grand Forks ignited vivid memories from more than 70 years ago. Berard was among a steady stream of curious visitors who came to see the vintage machine – a symbol of the fear that gripped society in the mid-1900s – at the recent event at Heritage Village. Berard had seen an iron lung before, he said, but “that was back in the '40s.” “A lot …