X-Message-Number: 3273
Date: 16 Oct 94 00:53:59 EDT
From: Carlos Mondragon <>
Subject: CRYONICS: Suspension Supplies

To: Cryonet
From: Carlos Mondragon, Director, Alcor Foundation
Re: Critical Suspension & Research Supplies

        In the midst of his recent apologia for CSNY, Mike Darwin of
BioPreservation, digressed as follows:

>c) I include customers above, because customers are often severely
>inconvenienced, damaged, or put out of business by the failure or another
>business.  By way of example (Alcor pay attention) Dow-Corning no longer 
>makes Silastic pump shoe tubing which is used in human cryopreservations.  
>In fact, they don't make Silastic adhesive, antifoam A, or any other 
>silastic medical product.  I know this 'cause I just bought up the last of 
>the pump shoe material available anywhere in the world.  The absence of 
>this product has caused me a severe inconvenience and, had I not also 
>found an alternative, could have shut down my research program and 
>effectively put me out of business.  (In the meantime I got a big 
>education about peroxide vs. platinum curing, protein adhesiveness, 
>etc, etc. vis a vis silicone rubber medical grade tubing).

        Because there is always the possibility the Darwin was not, for
a change, blowing smoke (and also because I am so ignorant of these matters) 
I called Alcor's Biochemist & Engineer, Hugh Hixon.  For about 20 minutes,
Hugh patiently explaind why, once again, Darwin "exaggerates".

        First, Alcor's supply of the material that Darwin has cornered the
market on will last for a bare minimum of 16 human suspensions and/or as

many dogs.  Apparently Biopreservation will fold when their supply runs
out, but Darwin doesn't give enough information to project when that will
happen.

        Hugh found alternative suppliers of material for Alcor nearly a
year ago.  Further, Hugh states, "silicon tubing is only one of a number 
of USP Class 6 tubing formulations suitable for medical use." (According  
to Hugh, "medical grade tubing" is merely a cartouche of the Dow-Corning
folks.  "USP (United States Pharmacopea) Class 6" is the accepted standard
designation for the supplies in question to be used medically.  The product
information on the alternative material which Hugh has obtained included
an extensive listing of the clinical testing it has passed, including some 
direct comparison with "medical grade" silicone tubing.

         Knowing that I planned to reply here, Hugh also said, "not reading 
e-mail has been a real blessing".  Bless his heart.  

CM

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