X-Message-Number: 26208
Date: Fri, 20 May 2005 10:34:52 -0400
From: "Raphael T. Haftka" <>
Subject: Suspended animation
References: <>

Carbon monoxide?


Brian Wowk noted that suspended animation research may not be yet too useful for
Cryonics, but I was curious about two possible exceptions. 


1. Carbon monoxide suicide: The Scientific American paper indicates that carbon 
monoxide is potent for preventing ischemic damage, and even suggests shipping 
organs immersed in carbon monoxide in sealed containers. It regretfully 
dismisses it as an agent for inducing suspended animation in humans, because it 
binds so strongly to red blood cells. However, this is not relevant to a 
Cryonics patient, and so Carbon monoxide looks very attractive as a way to 
commit suicide for a patient in danger of brain damage due to Alzheimer disease,
high probability of stroke, etc. 


2. Even in natural death, it appears that it may be worthwhile to check on 
whether exposure to carbon monoxide or H2S may be useful to reduce ischemic 
damage if there is delay in suspension.

Rafi Haftka

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