X-Message-Number: 2910
Subject: CRYONICS, AIDS and Euthanasia
From:  (Ben Best)
Date: Sun, 17 Jul 1994 23:35:00 -0400


   Since Paul Wakfer assisted in the cryopreservation of Jerry White
(and since Paul was in Toronto, Canada), I asked him about the manner of
Jerry's death. He suggested tht I post my questions to CryoNet. Although
Mike Darwin is probably the most qualified to answer, feedback from
others would be appreciated.

   My understanding is that Jerry underwent considerable mental
deterioration during the last months of his life. Dick Jones underwent a
similar deterioration and, in fact, it has been said that Jones'
dementia is what allowed his relatives to gain control of so much of his
money. My question is, why could not Jerry or Dick have starved
themselves to death like Linda Chamberlain's mother did? Thomas
Donaldson sued for the privilege to be cryopreserved before brain cancer
had done too much damage to his mental faculties. Wouldn't AIDS patients
prefer to be frozen before brain deterioration becomes too serious?
What was different about Linda's mother Arlene?

   Paul even raised the possibility of going to Michigan with a
suspension team to take-over from Dr. Kevorkian (who may or may not
be qualified to sign a death certificate). This seems like an
unimaginable media circus and legal nightmare to me, but if anyone
has any knowledge or thought on the subject, I'd like to hear it.

               -- Ben Best (ben.best%)

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