June 1st marked the 50th anniversary of a life-saving innovation, the Heimlich Maneuver. This technique, introduced in 1974 by an American thoracic surgeon named Dr. Henry Heimlich, was devised to clear airway obstructions and prevent choking in humans. Dr. Heimlich’s article, “Pop Goes the Café Coronary,” was not a peer-reviewed study. It was, at the time, a simple call to action for everyday people to try the technique on choking victims they encountered and to spread the word about its effectiveness. Based on anecdotal reports, the Chicago Daily News published an article about the method’s successful application and explained how the technique expelled food and foreign objects better than any choking prevention techniques then in use. Dr. Heimlich promoted his namesake maneuver far and wide, appearing on national television programs, including The Johnny Carson Show, and selling branded merchandise depicting the maneuver’s characteristic embrace.
Despite Dr. Heimlich’s marketing efforts, however, the American Red Cross was not entirely convinced of the technique’s superior effectiveness. As a leading authority on health and safety education in the United States, the Red Cross only partially adopted the technique, recommending the delivery of abdominal thrusts as a supplement to traditional back blows, not as an exclusive remedy. Dr. Heimlich was chagrined to learn that his technique was not promoted as the definitive approach to choking prevention, and his method has been the subject of some controversy ever since.
To mark the 50-year milestone of the Heimlich Maneuver’s introduction, and to recognize the legacy of Dr. Heimlich himself, we at the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library are sharing the following links. Click below to learn about the Good Samaritan Law in Texas, restaurant liability for choking incidents, and other related issues at the intersection of public health, safety, and law, including the debate surrounding Heimlich’s technique and what the Red Cross currently recommends when administering aid in choking incidents.
Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §74.151: Liability for Emergency Care (Good Samaritan Law)
Is a Restaurant Liable for a Customer Choking on Food? — FindLaw
American Red Cross Guidelines and Highlights 2022 — The emergency care procedures outlined within reflect the standard of knowledge and accepted emergency practices in the United States at the time of publication
Choking Poster - Food Safety — AgriLife Extension Food Safety Education
Heimlich Posters Law Discontinued [in Texas] (2011) — Amarillo Globe News; HB 3065; Bill Analysis
Online Safety Training Courses — American Red Cross
American Heart Association eLearning — CPR and First Aid