Henry Heimlich
Henry Heimlich Dr. Henry Heimlich is one of the most well known physicians and medical researchers in America. He was born on the 3rd of February 1920 and received his medical degree in 1943 from Cornell Medical College. Dr. Heimlich started coming up with simple and effective medical solutions in 1945, but he was mainly known for introducing the Heimlich Maneuver and many other innovative treatments. The Heimlich Maneuver, also called abdominal trust, was brought up by Dr. Heimlich in 1947 and was published in the Journal of the Medical Association (JAMA). A week later, the first victim of choking was saved by the Heimlich Maneuver. This abdominal thrust saves lives because of the artificial cough that comes from lifting the diaphragm and putting enough air in the lungs. This specific cough moves the substance being choked on out of the trachea. Fortunately, more than 100,000 US victims have been saved since the introduction of the Heimlich Maneuver (Elliot, 2003). On the other hand, there are many complications caused by this maneuver. Studies showed that the aortic valve of the heart could rupture because of the Heimlich Maneuver (Chapman, Menapace, Howell, 1983). Also, other complications have been results of the well known abdominal thrust. In addition to the abdominal thrust, Dr. Heimlich contributed to the medical field by inventing the Heimlich, or flutter valve. The death of one of the Chinese soldiers who was shot on the chest inspired him. This valve saved thousands of lives by draining blood and air out of the chest cavity, specifically a failing lung, by preventing air and fluid from moving backwards and only letting them to move in one direction. Another well known contribution was Dr. Heimlich’s “Malariotherapy”. He was convinced that Malariotherapy was able to treat cancer, AIDS, and other diseases by purposely contaminating the ill patients with malaria, and when the patients are cured from cancer or AIDS, they are again treated to get
References: Deaconess-healthcare.com (1920). About Dr. Heimlich | Deaconess Associations, Inc.. [online] Available at: http://www.deaconess-healthcare.comLHeimlich_Insititute/About_Dr._ Heimlich/ (Accessed: 12 Oct 2012). Heimlich, H. J., & Galton, L. (1980). Dr. Heimlich 's Home guide to emergency medical situations. New York: Simon and Schuster. Marieb, E. N. (2009). Essentials of human anatomy and physiology. San Francisco: Benjamin/Cummings Pub. Co.