The idea for this joke (The iron lung) came out from the left field and it’s HILARIOUS! But seriously, if I need to use that device and they decided to use it as a table I will annoy them by spouting puns about organs.
For what it’s worth, the thing is cylindrical for mechanical reasons — a cylinder withstands changes in pressure much better than a flat surface. If they made them square, eventually they would start “oilcanning” — going “clunk, clonk” with each breath.
You know someone in a medical equipment company is reading this and thinking “Whoa, we could upsell a flat one as both life-sustaining and party-sustaining!”
I have as part of my technological history collection and example of prototype iron lung replacement made by the General Tire and Rubber Company. It was like a big clear suction cup that strapped on from and back of the chest leaving arms and legs free.
It worked and looked cheaper but I think it never caught on because “air exists between the seal and patient’s body,” which means it would have sounded like: long-slow-inhale…thrrrrrppppptttttttt, long-slow-inhale…thrrrrrppppptttttttt, long-slow-inhale…thrrrrrppppptttttttt.
Imagine a ward of 40 out of synch fart machines going 24/7. History would have been different. “Grandma, you were a nurse during the worst of the polio epidemics, what was that like….why are you laughing?”
The idea for this joke (The iron lung) came out from the left field and it’s HILARIOUS! But seriously, if I need to use that device and they decided to use it as a table I will annoy them by spouting puns about organs.
For what it’s worth, the thing is cylindrical for mechanical reasons — a cylinder withstands changes in pressure much better than a flat surface. If they made them square, eventually they would start “oilcanning” — going “clunk, clonk” with each breath.
They could always put the cylinder into a rectangular casing. Would not serve any purpose other than aesthetics, but it could be done.
The randomness of your thinking process never ceases to amaze me, Adam. Well done, again.
Thanks!
You know someone in a medical equipment company is reading this and thinking “Whoa, we could upsell a flat one as both life-sustaining and party-sustaining!”
No, they think, “and pile gear on it!” Before you now it everyone would be saying, “where the hell is the patient?”
“Oh here he is under the thing that goes ‘ping!”‘
In anyplace with tech and tools, like medicine, nature abhors an empty flat surface more than a vacuum.
I have as part of my technological history collection and example of prototype iron lung replacement made by the General Tire and Rubber Company. It was like a big clear suction cup that strapped on from and back of the chest leaving arms and legs free.
It worked and looked cheaper but I think it never caught on because “air exists between the seal and patient’s body,” which means it would have sounded like: long-slow-inhale…thrrrrrppppptttttttt, long-slow-inhale…thrrrrrppppptttttttt, long-slow-inhale…thrrrrrppppptttttttt.
Imagine a ward of 40 out of synch fart machines going 24/7. History would have been different. “Grandma, you were a nurse during the worst of the polio epidemics, what was that like….why are you laughing?”
Sorry, about that, I think I just set a personal record for lazy typos.
I imagine it would sound more like;
*ppppphhhhrrr*
I find your lack of faith disturbing.
*ppppphhhhrr*
Until you realize that the iron lung bug in the first panel is upside down, he really looks like the saddest bug ever with tears and everything.
Yeah. Especially since he IS right side up in the next two panels…
Now, I can’t unsee it.
“Occupado!!! C’mon guys. have you ever heard of using coasters?”
Title. Win.