[3] In 1973, Rumack developed Poisindex, one of the first commercial databases, which could retrieve diagnosis and treatment data for a vast variety of poisonous substances.
[15] The Kansas City Star 1978 feature story noted that the center "has become a technical prototype for similar operations around the country".
This paper was based on extensive work with monkeys who were also assessed for cognitive and other functions in separate publications and forms the metabolic basis for the understanding of the importance of correcting malnutrition during early brain development.
In 1976, along with co-authors he published a paper regarding unrecognizable salicylate intoxication which revealed numerous missed cases of aspirin poisoning in patients who were thought to have metabolic acidosis of unknown origin.
[20] In 2008, in a testimony at court he explained that he used to live in Milwaukee next door to filmmakers David and Jerry Zucker and they took his name for the movie role.
[21] In May 1989, Rumack visited Georgia as part of a three experts team commissioned by Physicians for Human Rights to investigate a possible use of toxic gas during the April 9 tragedy.
[25] In 1999, he was doing a sabbatical at the Food and Drug Administration when he was asked to evaluate safe levels for exposure to methylmercury in pediatric vaccines.
[28][6] His work was also recognized by the Clinton Thienes, M.D., Award from the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology (1991) and by Honorary Doctorate from the Jagiellonian University (1995).