Every day at least eight Americans choke to death when food or other objects become lodged in their throats. Their deaths occur because choking is often confused with heart attack, or because old remedies, such as hitting a person on the back, are not successful.

However, the Heimlich maneuver, developed in 1947, is an easily-applied technique to help save the choking victim. It must be applied quickly, for the choking victim has but four or five minutes to live after an object is stuck in his throat. The technique involves several procedures, depending on whether the victim is standing, sitting, or lying down, but the basic maneuver is the following: Make a fist with your hand, place it on the abdomen above the belly button and below the ribcage, and press in and upward with a quick thrust. The procedure may be repeated several times if necessary until enough force is applied to eject the object. If you are alone and choking, you should use your own fist, or press into a table or a sink.

Occasionally, the Heimlich maneuver results in a cracked rib, a small price to pay for a life.