L--Li, 1940-1973

Correspondence, laboratory notebooks, research manuscripts, reprints, reports, aviation industry publications, photographs, slides, newsclippings, and artifacts (1925-1979; 36 linear feet) document the distinguished medical research career of Harold Lamport, best known for his groundbreaking work in hemodynamics and the improvement of antigravity flight suits, iron lung devices, and high-frequency sound wave devices for fragmenting kidney and gall stones.

The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence and subject files, Series 2 and 6-7. Lamport maintained three different filing structures for his correspondence: alphabetical by individual name; general chronological; and general alphabetical. This series contains information about all aspects of his research. Lamport's subject files were also maintained in two unidentifiable portions. The supplied subtitles, Active and Inactive Research, are a best-guess at the function of the two series. Both series contain similar information and arrangement structures. Each subject file series contains correspondence, published materials, newsclippings, manufacturer's advertising, and other types of background information covering all areas of Lamport's research interests. Likewise, Series 4 contains a wealth of supplies and equipment information used in his experiments. Series 10 contains reprints from colleagues and other scientists working in the same fields as Lamport.

The collection lacks a large amount of Lamport's actual research data. Series 3, Lab Notebooks, primarily documents his bench research in the hemodynamics associated with hypertension and his work on ultrasonic solutions for kidney and gall stone ailments. Series 6, Active Research subject files also contains his work as principal investigator for the PHS contract at Yale, involving research on ultrasonic therapeutic fragmentation of calculi. Series 7, Presentations also contains research dealing with ultrasonic lithotresis in the ureter. Series 12, Photographs, also contains images of many experimental devices and artifacts from this research can be found in Series 13.

His role in developing the anti-gravity suit is best documented in Series 5, Meetings and Reports. This series documents Lamport's meetings with national organizations, such as the National Research Council (Committee on Aviation Medicine), Yale Aeromedical Research Unit, and Air Materiel Command. The Reports subseries details findings on the efficiency of a bladder in transmitting pressure through a garment and how it is affected by both friction and curvature. These findings were result of Lamport and his colleagues in testing the anti-acceleration suits presented to the Acceleration Committee in Washington, DC on September 17, 1943. Likewise significant information can also be found in the Publications, Correspondence, and Subject Files series.