[Steerforth]

We lived in Pennsylvania and traveled to Rhode Island in the early 1960s to visit my sister, and her husband who was in the U.S. Navy.

My Mum recalled that she had a cousin, "Clifford" who had emigrated to Fall River, MA, years before. He must have been from Accrington or Clayton. I'm trying to get more information about this.

She remembered that his name was William Birtwell, and after we checked a phone book or called information, we telephoned a number and he answered. He drove to where we were, and they had a reunion. They hadn't seen each other for over thirty years, I guess, and that was when they both lived in Accrington or thereabouts.

Turned out that cousin Clifford helped design one of the first artificial hearts and was asociated with Tufts University.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1960

Check out March 10 - the second item.

Now, he wasn't an MD, so Wiki is incorrect, but he did have a bachelor's degree (BS)

There are many references to him such as this one:

http://www.circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/4/722

This was almost fifty years ago, and I have forgotten a lot, but I do remember that he had a sister, Nellie, who was mentally retarded and who lived in the Accrington area. If I can find out anymore information, I'll post it. My Mum is 89, but her long-term memory is pretty good. We lost track of him not long after we returned to PA.

I attempted last year to find out about him. I contacted Tufts, but they had no information.

Cheers!
David Procter