Six Months in a Pump

Mail addressed in the past few months "To the Gamest Kid in America" has found its way directly to Clarence Hastings, City Hospital, Syracuse, N. Y. He was 14 and a hero, having lived in a Drinker respirator one day longer than anyone else. His runner-up was Birdsall Sweet, also 14, of Beacon, N. Y. The infantile paralysis epidemic of last summer and autumn (TIME, Feb. 15, et ante) had put them in respirators, big sheet steel cans which made a bellows of their listless lungs, pumped air into them (TIME, Sept. 8, 1930; Sept. 21). Stories of Clarence Hastings' happy fortitude got into the newspapers as he lay on his back month after month. People sent him gifts, letters. One day he received two sacksful of mail, more than the biggest businessmen of Syracuse.

Last week it was found that Clarence Hastings had an intestinal obstruction which must be removed by operation. The operation required his removal from the life-saving respirator. That way lay danger of death by suffocation, unless the operation was performed expeditiously. No operation meant collapse and death.

Surgeons at Syracuse City Hospital risked the operation. But they were obliged to cease work twice and return the boy to the respirator for a few breaths. Three days after completion of the operation he said: "Please shut off the machines. They're making too much noise." Then he ceased hearing all sounds. He had lived 177 days, nearly six months, in his lung pump.

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