The Life and Medical Career of Dr. Peter Safar

Dr. Peter Safar, an Austrian immigrant and anti-fascist, made significant contributions to emergency medicine. Born in 1924, he faced challenges during the Nazi era, including being conscripted into the Hitler Youth. However, he managed to avoid military service by giving himself a toxic ointment-induced rash. After the war, Safar pursued a career in medicine and eventually moved to Baltimore. It was there that he collaborated with teams to develop cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). While existing ideas on emergency breathing and heart compressions existed, Safar's groundbreaking work led to the creation of the ABCs of resuscitation, a manual that formed the basis of modern CPR techniques and became widely adopted. Safar's contributions revolutionized emergency medical care and saved countless lives.