“Early on the morning of March 24, 1948, while dangerously ill in an iron lung at the Infectious Diseases Branch of the Royal Perth Hospital, I gave birth to a normal healthy baby daughter.  I will never forget the day I realised just what had happened.  Even then I didn’t know I was Australia’s first iron lung mother and hadn’t realised that my illness was poliomyelitis.”

So begins an article in the Weekend Mail dated Saturday February 26, 1955.  This was an update,
7 years later, as a young mother looks back on her life.  At the age of 20, Betty Clark, 8 months pregnant, was admitted with polio and 4 days later was delivered of a 3-week premature baby whilst in the iron lung.  The paper goes on to record Betty say —

“ - I felt worse and was vaguely aware of being in an iron lung.  Everything and everyone seemed blurred and far away.  The only pain was a slight stomach ache.  This ache is all I recall of my labour.  My 5lb 12oz daughter was born.  I had been removed from the iron lung for about 45 mins for an apparently quick and easy birth.  I have never seen my baby.

“She was transferred to PMH.  After a few weeks she went to my mother-in-law’s home in Maylands where my husband, my 20-month-old son Jimmy and I had been living.  My husband was doing his best to cope with Jimmy and the new baby, but it proved too much for him.

“The Matron of a Fremantle nursing home offered to look after the baby until I was well enough to care for her myself.”

Betty came out of the iron lung after three and a half weeks then lost her voice for a month.  She had not been told what was wrong with her.

“Even then I did not know what my illness was.  Only when I discovered that the people in the ward with me were polio victims did I realise that I must be one too.  I was never told.  The truth only came to me after several days.

“Polio had struck at my arms, chest and stomach.  Both arms were strapped out like a scarecrow and my hands were set in plaster to stop my clenched fists stiffening.”

Betty was unsure how she would be after recovering from polio, and how they would manage financially.  The Matron had offered to adopt the baby and after several weeks of careful consideration Betty agreed to the adoption.

After 4 months in hospital, Betty was allowed to go home.  She was only skin and bone - having dropped from 9 stone to only 5½ stone and being 5 foot 9 inches in height.

Betty continued to have daily physio as an outpatient.  She couldn’t get out of bed without help and although her legs were not affected by polio, it took her a while to regain walking balance.

She says - “I was one of the lucky ones - my arms remained fairly loose and were easier to move than most.  I’ll never reach them sky high but I can get them to shoulder level.”

After a few months Betty returned to IDB - “for a further 12 months of salt baths, exercises and other treatments gave gradual strength to my body.  For weeks and weeks I had to manipulate mis-shapen hands and fingers and as a reward I was able to turn the pages of a book.

“Patients did a little domestic work round the wards - sweeping is good for paralysed arms and helps strengthen the back.  Reading was a good standby and after a few months I began rug-making.”

Betty remembers her time in the iron lung as -
“The Lung was quite comfortable.  The itches were all that annoyed me.  My face would get itchy and I was unable to scratch it myself.  The nurses must have tired of doing it for me.”

Seven years later in this article Betty says -
“Peeling fruit and vegetables is still my hardest task.  My hands still won’t do exactly as I want.  I need more strength, especially in my thumbs.”

“In the house I am able to do most jobs.  I have a washing machine and an electric polisher which are a great help.  It is impossible for me to make a bed.”

Her 8-year old son Jimmy did many odd jobs for her - but not for nothing.  He was saving for a new hammer and demanded payment for all jobs done!

Quite a few years ago, Betty’s husband, Jack Clark, and this now grown-up daughter came into the Polio Office and allowed me to scan this photo of Betty in the Lung and the newborn baby.  I wish I still had contact with Jack now.  He was a plaster-fixer and they met in 1945 when he was stationed with the army in Melbourne.  They came to WA and were married here in 1946.  Does anyone know where they are now??