The Bloxsom air lock was an incubator used in the treatment of respiratory distress among newly born infants in the 1950s. The device attempted to mimic the rhythm of uterine contractions, which were thought to have a role in stimulating fetal breathing. The device was developed by Dr. Allan Bloxsom, a pediatrician at St. Joseph Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. At its peak, the device was utilized in more than 700 hospitals.