Minnesota's G-Man
The Biography of Earl H. Wood, M.D.
This book is a biography of Dr. Earl H. Wood. Dr. Wood was one of Mayo Clinic’s most prominent researchers, best known for his ground-breaking work on the G-suit during World War II. In 1942, Earl was recruited by Mayo Clinic to conduct research on gravitational physiology on their human centrifuge. Using themselves as experimental subjects, he and fellow scientists investigated the effects of acceleration and the cause of gravitational loss of consciousness. The result was a vastly improved G-suit, which allowed Allied pilots to outmaneuver Japanese and German planes and win the air battles of World War II.
Following the war, Earl continued his research, pioneering cardiac catheterization on patients with heart disease. The oximeter, which he developed to detect pulse, was enhanced to measure blood oxygen saturation levels; it is now used in every hospital and clinic in the world and is of critical importance in monitoring cardio-pulmonary status during the COVID–19 pandemic. In the 1970s, Earl and his team developed computer-based X-ray techniques, paving the way for modern CAT and MRI scanners.
Dr. Wood's innovations put him in the forefront of aviation and medical science in the 20th century, and highlight one the major contributions made by Mayo Clinic to the Allied victory in World War II
E. Andrew Wood is the last of four children born to Earl Howard and Ada Catherine (Peterson) Wood in Rochester, Minn. He is a graduate of Hamline University and Mayo Clinic School of Health-Related Sciences and holds a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota. Andy spent more than 25 years at General Mills where he served as the Manager of Health Promotion and Ergonomics. He also was Director of Ergonomics and Corporate Solutions at Muve Inc., a joint venture with Mayo Clinic, where he was responsible for developing and implementing activity based ergonomic and wellness programs for corporate clients. In addition, he was a consultant for Ergonomics at Ferguson Risk Management, where he developed ergonomic and wellness strategies for corporations, including Land O Lakes, Bayer, Bosch, Dairy Farmers of America, CVS Health and several government agencies until his retirement in 2021. Andy has authored several articles on the development and assessment of ergonomic and health promotion programs in industry. As an individual with severe dyslexia, Andy is a graduate of the Rochester Reading Center and is a spokesperson for the Dyslexia Institute of Minnesota.
