My corrections request and related questions re: How Dr.

Heimlich got his maneuver 40

years ago by Dr. Howard Markel, PBS NewsHour, June 16, !1". My e#$ails include
re%erences to articles in t&e 'u(ust ), 1*+" ,&ica(o Daily News article and t&e '-ril .!,
1*) /all Street Journal. 0or con1enience, 231e added links to t&ose articles.
From: Peter Heimlich <peter.heimlich@gmail.com>
Subject: inquiry
Date: June 1! "#1$ 1":$%:"& P' (D)
)o: Ho*ar+ 'ar,el <ho*ar+@umich.e+u>
Dear Dr. 'ar,el!
-e: http:..***.pb/.org.ne*/hour.up+ate/.+r0heimlich0got0maneu1er.
2 ha1e a /ome quic, 3act0chec,ing.e+itorial que/tion/ 3or you an+ 24+ li,e to copy your e+itor. 5oul+ you
plea/e /en+ me her.hi/ name an+ e0mail a++re//6 73ter 2 recei1e! 24ll 3ollo*0up *ith my que/tion/.
8heer/ an+ 2 loo, 3or*ar+ to your reply 00 Peter

Peter '. Heimlich
7tlanta
ph: 9"#:;$<$0<":&
*eb/ite: http:..me+3rau+.in3o
blog: http:..the0/i+ebar.com
e0mail: peter.heimlich@gmail.com
From: Margaret Myers <mmyers@newshour.org>
To: Peter Heimlich <peter.heimlich@gmail.com>
CC: Jason Kane <!ane@newshour.org>" Howar# Mar!el <howar#@me#.umich.e#u>
$u%ect: &our in'uiry
(ate: Mon" )* Jun +,)- ).:+/:). 0,,,,
(ear Mr. Heimlich"
(r. Mar!el 1orwar#e# your email to us. He2s out o1 poc!et at the moment" %ut 3 e#ite# to#ay2s story on
the Heimlich maneu4er. How can we help5
Than! you"
Margaret Myers
(igital news e#itor
6: 7,89//.9).:,
M: .*,98,+9.+-)
@margaret4m
@;ewsHour
newshour.p%s.org

From: Peter Heimlich <peter.heimlich@gmail.com>
Sent: 'on+ay! June 1! "#1$ =:#: P'
)o: Ho*ar+ 'ar,el <ho*ar+@me+.umich.e+u>
8c: 'argaret 'yer/> Ja/on ?ane
Subject: correction/ reque/t an+ /ome quic, que/tion/
Dear Dr. 'ar,el!
)han,/ 3or looping in 'argaret 'yer/ on my inquiry re: your article to+ay:
http:..***.pb/.org.ne*/hour.up+ate/.+r0heimlich0got0maneu1er.
Fir/t! 2 thought you +i+ a thorough job! unque/tionably better than much o3 the reporting about my 3ather4/
career be3ore my *i3e ?aren Shulman an+ 2 began re/earching hi/ unu/ual career in Spring "##". Since you
lin,e+ to my page 00 an+ big than,/ 3or that lin, an+ 3or inclu+ing my quote 0 2 thin, you ,no* that /hortly
therea3ter! ?aren an+ 2 began 3iling in1e/tigation reque/t/ *ith organi@ation/ 9inclu+ing A8B7! *hich
re/ulte+ in a *i+ely0reporte+ in1e/tigation into the abu/e o3 8hine/e 72DS patient/; an+ /haring our *or,
*ith me+ical eCpert/ an+ journali/t/. Dia my /ite! here are /ome o3 the /torie/ +irectly or in+irectly ba/e+ on
our re/earch 00 the A8B7 /torie/ are at the top: http:..me+3rau+.in3o.Selecte+0me+ia0report/.html Bong
/tory /hort! our la/t +eca+e ha/ been intere/ting.
Here are my que/tion/ 00 italic/ are pull/ 3rom your article:
1; In 1972, the New York Times reported that more than 3,000 people in the U.S. choked to death that
ear....
5hat4/ the +ate o3 that article6
"; !"t man doctors insisted that a #low on the #ack tends to dri$e the o#%ect downward, lod&in& that
o#str"ction e$en more ti&htl in the airwa.
5hat are the name/ o3 /ome o3 tho/e +octor/6
&; ! 19'', (r. )eimlich was recommendin& the "se o* a#dominal thr"sts as a treatment *or drownin&....
)hat4/ incorrect. )he attache+ 7ugu/t ":! 1%<$ 8hicago Daily Ee*/ article! New h"& can sa$e drownin&
$ictim! mar,/ the article in *hich my 3ather 3ir/t /tarte+ circulating hi/ +ubiou/ +ro*ning re/cue claim/.
Eote the reporter 00 ye/! 7rt Sni+er. 'y 3ather then began relentle//ly toute+ hi/ +ro*ning re/cue claim/! /o
24m reque/ting a publi/he+ correction *ith a citation to Sni+er4/ article.
$; +or se$eral ears, (r. )eimlich also ad$ocated treatin& patients with cancer, )I, and -me disease
# in*ectin& them with malaria
)o my ,no*le+ge! the attache+ 7pril &#! 1%:" 5all Street Journal pro3ile i/ the 3ir/t publi/he+ report in
*hich my 3ather a+1ocate+ in3ecting patient/ *ith malaria. 2n the late 1%:#/! he began hi/ +eca+e/ o3
notoriou/ FmalariotherapyF eCperiment/ on AS an+ 3oreign patient/ *hich o1er the +eca+e/ re/ulte+ in
in1e/tigation/ by the 8D8! the FH7! the Dept. o3 Ju/tice! an+ A8B7. 9Detail/ on reque/t.; )here3ore! the
F3or /e1eral year/F in your /entence i/ incorrect! /o 24m reque/ting a publi/he+ correction *ith a citation to
the 5SJ article.
=; .ontro$ersies aside, the )eimlich mane"$er has helped to sa$e co"ntless li$es o$er the past *o"r
decades....
7/ ?aren an+ 2 came to un+er/tan+ regar+ing my 3ather4/ career! 3act/ are o3ten ob/cure+ by hype. 7/ it
happen/! the abo1e /tatement lea+/ to an intere/ting unan/*ere+ que/tion. 2 probably *oul+n4t go into thi/
*ith an uncre+entiale+ reporter! but a/ a prominent me+ical hi/torian! you may ha1e a pro3e//ional intere/t
an+ to perhap/ help /he+ light on a my/tery that4/ *ay beyon+ my pay gra+e. 7l/o! your article cite+ ES8
cho,ing +eath /tati/tic/ /o thi/ i/ al/o on point there.
7/ 3ar a/ 2 can tell 3rom ES8 /tati/tic/! per capita cho,ing +eath/ in our country ha1e remaine+ 1irtually
unchange+ /ince +eca+e/ be3ore an+ +eca+e/ a3ter my 3ather intro+uce+ Fthe Heimlich.F 2 *rote about thi/
on my blog la/t year 00 about hal3*ay +o*n! plea/e /tart at the /entence! F(1en i3 you +on4t *ant to go into
tho/e *ee+/....F http:..***.the0/i+ebar.com."#1&.1#.ra+iolab/0jun,0reporting0my.html )o my
,no*le+ge! thi/ ha/n4t been reporte+ any*here el/e /o! i3 you or a reporter colleague i/ intere/te+! 3eel 3ree
to jump in.
; /ore tro"#lin&, )eimlich0s son, 1eter, has lon& c"rated a we#site....
For +eca+e/! my 3ather put li1e/ at ri/, *ith hi/ un3oun+e+ claim/ an+ the 1iolati1e FmalariotherapyF
eCperiment/. )he me+ical pro3e//ion! the me+ia! an+ the legal /y/tem 3aile+ to a+equately police him! /o 2!
my *i3e! an+ a number o3 me+ical pro3e//ional/ an+ journali/t/ helpe+ put a /top to hi/ rec,le// con+uct.
)here3ore! 24+ /ugge/t Fmore /urpri/inglyF i/ more accurate.in3ormati1e than Fmore troubling.F )hat /ai+! 2
much enjoye+ being +e/cribe+ a/ a /ort o3 curator o3 my 3ather4/ mi/+ee+/ an+ /henanigan/. 2t ne1er
occurre+ to me! but it4/ an elegant an+ accurate choice o3 *or+/.
8heer/! /incere than,/ 3or your time.con/i+eration! an+ 2 loo, 3or*ar+ to your reply 00 Peter

Peter '. Heimlich
7tlanta
ph: 9"#:;$<$0<":&
*eb/ite: http:..me+3rau+.in3o
blog: http:..the0/i+ebar.com
e0mail: peter.heimlich@gmail.com
From: Margaret Myers <mmyers@newshour.org>
To: Peter Heimlich <peter.heimlich@gmail.com>
CC: Jason Kane <!ane@newshour.org>" Howar# Mar!el <howar#@me#.umich.e#u>
$u%ect: <=: corrections re'uest an# some 'uic! 'uestions
(ate: Tue" )7 Jun +,)- +,:8,::, 0,,,,
(ear Peter"
>e ha4e %een in touch with (r. Mar!el an# he share# with us his thoughts on your email. 3 %oile#
them #own %elow. He is una4aila%le currently" so i1 you ha4e 1urther 'uestions 1or us" please
un#erstan# it may ta!e a 1ew #ays to respon#.
Here" we ha4e a##resse# your points:
). The ;& Times pu%lishe# an article on acci#ental #eaths on $eptem%er )7" )/7+. (r. Mar!el use#
this re1erence %ecause (r. Heimlich state# in se4eral inter4iews that he rea# an article on the topic in
the ;& Times in )/7+. This article really emerges 1rom a ;ational ?ca#emy o1 $ciences stu#y. @ut
more important these stu#ies an# statistics are reporte# e4ery year %y many #i11erent sources.
+. (r. Mar!el sites many #octors: A$amuel Bross o1 Phila#elphia in the mi#9).-,s" Theo#or @illroth o1
Cienna in the )./,s" Moses Bunn o1 ?nn ?r%or in the ).*,s" John Har4ey Kellogg o1 @attle Cree! in
the )..,s 99 an# 3 might a## mysel1" Howar# Mar!el" in the )/.,s. 3n#ee#" it was an o%ser4ation 3
ma#e many times when treating cho!ing 4ictims in the =<. The point here is that many #octors ma#e
the o%ser4ation.DE
8. Heimlich a#4ocate# his maneu4er 1or #rowning 4ictims 1or a long time. They can %e 1oun# in the
archi4es o1 the ?merican <e# Cross" where the original recommen#ation was heate#ly #iscusse# an#
ma#e #uring the )/.,s. @ut we are happy to a##: From the mi#9)/7,s to the late )/.,s" (r. Heimlich
recommen#e# the use o1 a%#ominal thrusts as a treatment 1or #rowning" e4en though he ha# little
#ata to support such an assertion. ?n# a## an e#itorFs note.
-. >e stan# %y the use o1 the phrase Ase4eral years.D
:. >e will stic! with the GcountlessG li4es sa4e# %y the Heimlich manue4er. >e #onFt ha4e a count"
perio#" which means itFs Gcountless.G These e4ents rarely occur in clinical settings an# no pu%lic health
agency" to (r. Mar!elFs !nowle#ge" !eeps accurate statistics on its use.
*. >e stan# %y the use o1 the phrase Amore trou%lingD since this is in (r. Mar!elFs 4oice. This is how
he 1eels a%out the matter.
Than! you.
Margaret
Margaret Myers
(igital news e#itor


6: 7,89//.9).:,
M: .*,98,+9.+-)
@margaret4m
@;ewsHour
newshour.p%s.org

Date: )ue! 1< Jun "#1$ 1::&1:#: 0#$##
From: Peter Heimlich <peter.heimlich@gmail.com >
)o: 'argaret 'yer/ <mmyer/@ne*/hour.org>
88: Ho*ar+ 'ar,el <ho*ar+@me+.umich.e+u>! Ja/on ?ane <j,ane@ne*/hour.org>
Subject: -e: correction/ reque/t an+ /ome quic, que/tion/
Dear 'argaret!
)han,/ 3or your prompt.help3ul reply an+ 24m happy to be patient 3or any a++itional in3ormation you nee+
to gather.
21. The NY Times p"#lished an article on accidental deaths on Septem#er 17, 1972. (r. /arkel "sed this
re*erence #eca"se (r. )eimlich stated in se$eral inter$iews that he read an article on the topic in the NY
Times in 1972.
)o /a1e me a /earch! +o you ha1e a copy or lin, to that 1%<" article6 7l/o! my 3ather ha/ repeate+ly /tate+
that the article *a/ publi/he+ in the Ee* Gor, )ime/ Sun+ay maga@ine.
234ross o* 1hiladelphia in the mid51'60s, Theodor !illroth o* ,ienna in the 1'90s, /oses 4"nn o* 7nn
7r#or in the 1'80s, 9ohn )ar$e :ello&& o* !attle .reek in the 1''0s 55 and I mi&ht add msel*, )oward
/arkel, in the 19'0s.3
)hi/ i/ a reque/t principally 3or my e+ucation! /o no ru/h *hat/oe1er. 'ay 2 get journal an+.or boo,
citation/! plea/e6 7l/o +i+ Dr. 'ar,el e1er publi/h on the /ubject! either in the literature or in the popular
pre//6
2nci+entally! Dr. 'ar,el may be intere/te+ to learn about the tainte+ Fbac,blo*/F /tu+y by Day et al that
*a/ publi/he+ in Pe+iatric/ in 1%:". 2 unco1ere+ that /cam an+ /hare+ the 3act/ *ith me+ical reporter
7bram ?at@ at the Ee* Ha1en -egi/ter 00 here4/ hi/ Hctober "&! "## /tory about that:
http:..bit.ly.1hIcB-F 7l/o! /hortly a3ter 2 /hare+ the in3ormation *ith the hea+ o3 an 7H7 committee! the
Day /tu+y citation *a/ quietly /crubbe+ 3rom 3uture 7H7 gui+eline/.
2;e are happ to add< +rom the mid51970s to the late 19'0s, (r. )eimlich recommended the "se o*
a#dominal thr"sts as a treatment *or drownin&, e$en tho"&h he had little data to s"pport s"ch an
assertion. 7nd add an editor0s note.
2t4/ unclear on ho* you arri1e+ at that +ate range becau/e! /ince the 7ugu/t 1%<$ 8hicago Daily Ee*/ article
2 /ent you! my 3ather ne1er /toppe+ recommen+ing Fthe HeimlichF 3or +ro*ning at e1ery opportunity. For
eCample! here4/ a 1i+eo o3 him hyping the treatment in a "##= /peech http:..1imeo.com.=&""##$ an+ he
continue/ to promote it in hi/ recently0publi/he+ memoir. Here4/ a p+3 copy o3 the boo, 00 plea/e ,ey*or+
/earch F+ro*ningF: http/:..+b.tt.%33um2,3 )here3ore! it4/ accurate to report! Since the mid51970s, (r.
)eimlich has recommended the "se o* a#dominal thr"sts as a treatment *or drownin&, e$en tho"&h he
had little data to s"pport s"ch an assertion.
2nci+entally! per thi/ article http:..tinyurl.com.qapae@b an+ other report/! a3ter +eca+e/ o3 hyping Fthe
HeimlichF to re1i1e +ro*ning 1ictim/! 8incinnati4/ Heimlich 2n/titute 3inally /toppe+ promoting the
treatment in June "#1" *hen 2 ma+e clear to the organi@ation4/ eCecuti1e +irector that 2 inten+e+ to go
a3ter their nonpro3it /tatu/ *ith the 2-S.
26. ;e stand # the "se o* the phrase =se$eral ears.3>?re< +or se$eral ears, (r. )eimlich also ad$ocated
treatin& patients with cancer, )I, and -me disease # in*ectin& them with malaria....@
)hat4/ not /upporte+ by the 3act/. Per thi/ article la/t year http:..tinyurl.com.b$h:unu an+ in hi/ recent
boo,! my 3ather continue/ to Fa+1ocate Fmalariotherapy.F Since he4/ been pu/hing it /ince the 1%:" 5SJ
article 2 /ent you! that4/ &" year/. )here3ore! the phra/e F/e1eral year/F i/ 3al/e an+ mi/lea+ing to rea+er/! /o
*hy /tic, *ith it6 Here4/ *hat 24+ /ugge/t: Since the 1%:#/! Dr. Heimlich ha/ al/o a+1ocate+ treating
patient/ *ith cancer! H2D an+ Byme +i/ea/e by in3ecting them *ith malaria....;
2A. ;e will stick with the Bco"ntlessB li$es sa$ed # the )eimlich man"e$er. ;e don0t ha$e a co"nt,
period, which means it0s Bco"ntless.B These e$ents rarel occ"r in clinical settin&s and no p"#lic health
a&enc, to (r. /arkel0s knowled&e, keeps acc"rate statistics on its "se.
2 +i+n4t mean to challenge that *or+ing! /o /orry 3or any mi/un+er/tan+ing. Since 2 ha1e hi/ ear! 2 *ante+
to ,no* i3 Dr. 'ar,el ha/ any intere/t or any ob/er1ation/ regar+ing the ES8 cho,ing +eath /tati/tic/ that 2
/hare+. Since he4/ an eCpert in the hi/tory o3 cho,ing! 2 a//ume he4ll 3in+ tho/e number/ intriguing. 24+
/imply *elcome a quic, note re: *hether or not he ha/ any intere/t in the in3ormation or i3 he can +irect me
to any other eCpert/ *ho might be intere/te+.
28. ;e stand # the "se o* the phrase =more tro"#lin&3>since this is in (r. /arkel0s $oice. This is how he
*eels a#o"t the matter.
23 he meant that it4/ troubling to ob/er1e 3amily /tri3e! 2 coul+n4t agree more. 2n 3act! *hat my 3ather +i+ to
hi/ o*n 3amily i/ *hat cau/e+ my *i3e an+ 2 to /tart re/earching hi/ career. 23 you4re curiou/! *e /hare+
/ome o3 the +etail/ in thi/ "##= -a+ar 'aga@ine /tory: http:..tinyurl.com.p3a*+tm
Jig than,/ 3or your continue+ attention.con/i+eration an+ 2 loo, 3or*ar+ to your thought/.
8heer/! Peter
Peter '. Heimlich
7tlanta
ph: 9"#:;$<$0<":&
*eb/ite: http:..me+3rau+.in3o
blog: http:..the0/i+ebar.com
e0mail: peter.heimlich@gmail.com

Date: )ue! 1< Jun "#1$ 1::&1:#: 0#$##
From: Peter Heimlich <peter.heimlich@gmail.com>
)o: 'argaret 'yer/ <mmyer/@ne*/hour.org>
88: Ho*ar+ 'ar,el <ho*ar+@me+.umich.e+u>! Ja/on ?ane <j,ane@ne*/hour.org>
Subject: -e: correction/ reque/t an+ /ome quic, que/tion/
'argaret 'yer/
Digital ne*/ e+itor
PJS Ee*/Hour
Dear 'argaret!
-e: http:..***.pb/.org.ne*/hour.up+ate/.+r0heimlich0got0maneu1er.
2 ha1en4t recei1e+ a reply to my June 1< e0mail. 5hat4/ the /tatu/ o3 my correction/ reque/t an+ relate+
que/tion/ to Dr. 'ar,el! plea/e6
)o quic,0re1ie*! 241e reque/te+:
1; 7 copy o3 the September 1<! 1%<" EG )ime/ article about acci+ental +eath/.
"; )he citation/ he re3erence+ re: Samuel Kro//! )heo+or Jillroth! 'o/e/ Kunn! an+ John Har1ey ?ellogg.
&; 7 correction re: the +ate range 3or the year/ my 3ather ha/ promote+ the Heimlich maneu1er 3or
+ro*ning re/cue! that i/! 7ugu/t 1%<$ to the pre/ent.
$; 7 correction re: the +ate range 3or the year/ my 3ather ha/ promote+ Fmalariotherapy!F that i/! 1%:" to
the pre/ent.
=; )o ,no* *hether or not Dr. 'ar,el ha/ any intere/t in re1ie*ing the ES84/ cho,ing +eath /tati/tic/ that
in+icate no change in per capita cho,ing +eath/ /ince +eca+e/ be3ore an+ +eca+e/ a3ter the intro+uction o3
Fthe Heimlich.F
For +etail/! /ee my June 1 an+ 1< e0mail/! copie+ belo* my /ignature.
)han,/ 3or your continue+ attention an+ 2 loo, 3or*ar+ to your reply.
8heer/! Peter
Peter '. Heimlich
7tlanta
ph: 9"#:;$<$0<":&
*eb/ite: http:..me+3rau+.in3o
blog: http:..the0/i+ebar.com
e0mail: peter.heimlich@gmail.com
cc: 'ichael Ketler! PJS Hmbu+/man

$u%ect: <=: corrections re'uest an# some 'uic! 'uestions
From: Margaret Myers <mmyers@newshour.org>
(ate: *H+*H+,)- )+:8, PM
To: Peter Heimlich <peter.heimlich@gmail.com>
Peter"
Than! you 1or 1ollowing up. (r. Mar!el an# 3 ha4e #iscusse# the story again an# we stan# %y it as it is.
The story is a snapshot o1 (r. Heimlich an# we mention all the rele4ant issues surroun#ing his %o#y o1
wor!. >e are than!1ul 1or your contri%ution as well" as we #o lin! to your site.
$incerely"
Margaret