Nothing is as frightening than to see someone confined to an iron lung.
You got that right. Also the sound it makes is like something out of a horror movie or Darth Vader breathing.
A housemate I had in grad school caught polio as a child and limped from having one leg shorter than the other. But he always had a cheerful attitude. Had his PhD in biology, then later got an MD after marrying a doctor. Some folks just never give up.
There was actually an iron lung exhibit on the Seaside Heights, NJ, boardwalk back in those years called SEE THE GIRL IN THE IRON LUNG or something like that. It was probably 25 cents. You went inside this tiny building.
There was a real girl inside the iron lung but I don’t think it was turned on. That would have been really horrifying. Memorable enough without that.
Oh I think there’s many things as frightening.