X-Message-Number: 2167
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 12:23:56 CDT
From: Brian Wowk <>
Subject: CRYONICS Patient Storage

        I don't like storing patients horizontally because patients on 
the bottom would have too much weight on top of them.  You could use a 
cassette system to protect patients from this weight, but then you 
lose all the space advantages of placing patients in contact with each 
other.
 
        Storing patients vertically also makes inventory simpler.  I 
believe that having all your patients visible (albeit in their 
sleeping bags) is important for legal and accoutability reasons.
 
        If you are going to store vertically, best to store upside 
down.  If you suffer a sustained cooling and air circulation failure, 
cold air will accumulate under the false floor.  In such an emergency, 
you want to keep patients' heads cool not their feet.  Inverted 
storage will also protect patients' heads from possible accidents 
(falling objects, etc.) at the top of the room.
 
        In retrospect is was flippant of me to suggest literally 
standing patients on their heads.  The proper way to do it is to 
enclose some form-fitting Styrofoam shoulder cradles with patients in 
their sleeping bags.  When you stand them inverted, their shoulders, 
not their head and neck, will support their weight.
 
                                                --- Brian Wowk
 

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