X-Message-Number: 17798
Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2001 11:33:35 -0400 (EDT)
From: Charles Platt <>
Subject: experiments with people

Mike Donahue suggests performing experiments using human cadavers. The
problem is, Mike, we are unlikely to have an opportunity to administer
ideal protocol (immediate cooling after legal death, cardio-pulmonary
support, washout with an organ-preservation solution, etc.) before
perfusion with cryoprotectant and cooldown to LN temperature. I'm going
beyond my very limited medical knowledge, here, but I believe any
experiment of this type would receive the cadaver without proper controls
or full knowledge of its history. I doubt, for instance, that the cadaver
would be received with a chart showing core temperature since legal death.
(Incidentally, a similar complaint has been made about CI studies of sheep
heads, where precise data regarding the "head history" are not known.)

Still, I recall that Mike Darwin investigated the possibility of obtaining
cadavers. I don't remember what happened as a result of this initiative.

Your point that the donated cadaver would become a cryopatient after the
cryonics protocol was administered is interesting. I tend to think
that any cadaver acquired for experimental purposes would have endured a
long period of ischemia causing damage that I would consider to be beyond
repair. But if one was able to apply good cryonics protocol immediately
following death (a very hypothetical situation!) I guess you're right:
Ethical considerations would arise about subsequent disposition of the
remains.

--CP

PS. For those who have inquired about the Alcor newsletter: The text has
been checked by Alcor, has been made into pages, and is being printed and
bound this weekend. I will send a package containing the finished copies
to Alcor on Monday. Alcor has to label and remail the individual copies to
members, because naturally Alcor's membership list is confidential.

I believe a .pdf version of the newsletter will be placed on Alcor's web
site. This version will be readable via Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available for free download on the Web. I am hoping that the newsletter
will be stored in two versions: Separate pages for individual download,
and all eight pages for anyone who has a faster connection and wants to
grab the whole thing.

I may also mirror the newsletter at my own site, www.cryonews.com. An
announcement will be made on CryoNet when the files are available.

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