The HARP Group: Neil Armstrong, George Rieveschl, Henry Heimlich and Edward Patrick.
Photo courtesy of Kevin Grace

Armstrong’s scientific and engineering accomplishments, though rarely mentioned in traditional news media, are many and varied. In 1971 it was this “nerdy engineer” who became an important part of the University of Cincinnati Aerospace program when he came here to teach courses like Applied Aircraft Performance and Fundamentals of Flight Testing. Current head of the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Professor Awatef Hamed recalled of her former colleague “We just went to lunch and so on and so forth. We didn’t bug him and treat him like a star. He went to his office and did his work like the rest of us.”² Armstrong was a member of the faculty at UC until 1979.

During his tenure with the University, Armstrong took on a project with a number of local medical professionals including Dr. Heimlich, Dr. Rieveschl and Dr. Patrick. The HARP Group as they were called set out to design an artificial oxygenator for the treatment of chronic lung diseases. Pumps used in heart-lung machines at the time caused severe hemolysis or rupturing of red blood cells and were often unsafe to use for more than a few hours. The result of the HARP Group’s efforts was the Apollo Double Diaphragm Pump for artificial heart-lung systems, a modified version of a pump used by NASA to circulate temperature regulating fluid in space suits. According to the team’s report, the Apollo Pump caused less hemorrhaging of red blood cells “than that reported for any other pump.” Although the pump was never completed, the research conducted lead to the design, patent and manufacture of a highly successful device called the Heimlich Micro Trach, an oxygen delivery system which allows patients to use much less oxygen than they would otherwise need by delivering the gas directly to the windpipe where it can’t escape in breath as easily. In a 1999 interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer Dr. Heimlich said of Armstrong:

“He immediately grasped the concept and joined me. Neil obtained the last two existing very small pumps that were used to circulate fluid in the space suits, in order to maintain a constant temperature. We ran tests on those pumps. …  We worked together for about six years, and had wonderful meetings every week in my laboratory, stimulating and fun. We never got to complete the heart-lung apparatus, but we learned a great deal. One of the products resulting from our studies is the Micro Trach, a very tiny tube that is inserted in the trachea, or windpipe, to deliver oxygen on a permanent basis. This is widely used throughout this country and other countries.”

1. T.C. “Obituary: Neil Armstrong,”  The Economist, Aug 25th 2012, 20:38, http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2012/08/obituary accessed September 10, 2012
2. Bach, John “Still Climbing: University of Cincinnati’s Aerospace Systems School stays its course toward advancing flight,” UC Magazine, October 2011, http://magazine.uc.edu/issues/1011/aerospace.html accessed September 10, 2012
3. Johnston, John; Amrhein, Sandra; Thompson, Richelle “Neil Armstrong, Reluctant Hero: The first man on the moon shuns interviews and avoids the spotlight, preferring the quiet – almost anonymous life hje has created in Southwest Ohio” [sic], July 18, 1999, http://www.enquirer.com/editions/1999/07/18/loc_neil_armstrong_the.html accessed September 10, 2012
4. See box 8, folder 15 “Proposal for Development of Artificial Oxygenators for Relief and Treatment of Chronic Lung Diseases”  by Neil Armstrong; Henry J. Heimlich, M. D.; Edward Patrick, M.D.; George Rieveschl, Ph. D., 1977 and box 75, folder 4 “Apollo Double Diaphragm Pump for Use in Artificial Heart-Lung Systems” by Neil A. Armstrong, Dr. Henry J. Heimlich , Dr. Edward A. Patrick and Dr. George Rieveschl with related reports, study protocol, newspaper clippings and correspondence, 1974 – 1977 of the Henry J. Heimlich Archival Collection, Henry R. Winkler Center for the History of the Health Professions, University of Cincinnati Libraries, Cincinnati Ohio

A month later, Frazier was honored with a Save-A-Life Award by Dr. Heimlich on the field of the Great American Ballpark. Since he developed the technique in 1974 Dr. Heimlich has given out many of these awards and has kept records of thousands of people who were saved by the maneuver but when I spoke to him recently I got the impression that Frazier’s status as a celebrity, and the publicity this rescue brought to the dangers of choking made this rescue extra special. When asked about the Frazier’s heroism Dr. Heimlich was quoted by MLB reporter Will Frasure as saying “What he did, it’s amazing for the promotion of safety… From Todd’s actions, many people can hear about the maneuver and learn to properly use it in case a similar incident happened when they are in the vicinity.”

Do you know how to perform the Heimlich maneuver properly? If you’re in doubt check out this vintage Family Circle pull-out poster from the Heimlich Collection.

Photo courtesy of MLB.com

Frasure, Will, “Todd Frazier’s Heimlich honored by Dr. Heimlich himself” http://mlb.mlb.com/cutfour/article.jsp?content_id=33971538, accessed 8/2/2012

Sheldon, Mark, “Frazier in spotlight after saving choking victim” http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120530&content_id=32507446&notebook_id=32507450&vkey=notebook_cin&c_id=cin, accessed 8/2/2012

For about the last seven years both my husband and I have been fascinated by Mount Everest, the people who climb it and the culture that surrounds it. Knowing as we do that neither of us will probably ever have the nerve to attempt to climb it (not to mention the $70,000-$100,000 per person a single summit attempt would cost!) we’ve contented ourselves with watching from afar via the internet and cable television. We’ve watched every TV special on the mountain that we’ve been able to get our hands on, many of them multiple times. This is why I was so delightfully surprised when I came across a folder containing correspondence and transcripts from the NOVA episode entitled “Everest: The Death Zone,” a show I’ve seen at least a few times.

David Carter, a climber on the NOVA expedition, had been suffering from chest congestion for a day or so prior his team’s planned summit attempt but felt that the problem wasn’t severe enough to warrant abandoning his second attempt at reaching the peak of Everest – he had already been forced to do so in 1991 after he broke a rib from coughing. After nine hours of climbing, the team reached the summit. After the compulsory celebrations and raising of flags, the team began heading down the mountain the camp where they would spend the night. Unfortunately it was then, on the way down from 32,000 feet, that Carter realized that his breathing was getting worse. His fellow teammate, Ed Viesturs, was struggling to get him down out of “the Death Zone,” the term used by climbers to refer to the height above which no human can survive due to lack of oxygen in the surrounding air – generally around 26,000 feet. However, Carter was sluggish and felt as though he was choking. Eventually Viesturs called in for help:

Ed Viesturs: Get Howard! It’s Ed. Please try to get him for me! This is Ed.

Howard Donner: What’s going on, Ed?

Ed Viesturs: David’s dying! It’s like his throat’s obstructed.

Howard Donner: Okay. Ed, do you know how to do a Heimlich maneuver? Over.

Watch the exchange as it unfolded on “NOVA Everest: The Death Zone”

It is suspected that, in addition to the lung infection previously mentioned, Carter may have suffered from high altitude pulmonary edema or “HAPE.” The condition is caused by increased pressure in capillaries in the lungs; forcing fluids from the vessels into the lungs’ alveoli and eventually drowning the victim in his/her own fluids. Viesturs said over the radio that he performed the Heimlich maneuver multiple times and that Carter was soon breathing more easily. The pair continued their descent and eventually made it down the mountain and back to their homes safely.

In the letter seen here Dr. Heimlich describes how Viesturs’ use of the Heimlich maneuver for high altitude pulmonary edema is similar to his recommended use of the Heimlich maneuver for acute asthma attacks and how the moment David Carter said “You saved my life” during a radio interview was one of the “most meaningful moments” of Dr. Heimlich’s life.