X-Message-Number: 5615
From: 
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 1996 17:57:13 -0500
Subject: Australian cryonics

Robert Horley (#5602) asks about Australians joining an American cryonics
organization.

As he probably knows, the Cryonics Institute (CI) has Australian members. Our
usual plan is to use local funeral directors for initial services including
washout and perfusion, before shipment to Michigan. We supply instructions,
and if necessary solutions and some of the equipment. If he doesn't already
have it, he can obtain some of our printed material by supplying a mailing
address. 

About a year ago we suspended Australian Helmer Fredriksson. His widow, Marta
Sandberg, recently gave an interview to the Channel Seven network in
Australia for its program CURRENT AFFAIRS. Yesterday their people also
visited the CI facility in Michigan, and we understand the program will air
next week! We don't know what day, but we understand the time slot is usually
6:30 to 7:00 P.M. (presumably Sydney/Melbourne time).

In Mr. Fredriksson's case the patient was brought to Michigan by his wife
while he was still alive, but known to be terminal, and he died under hospice
care. CI personnel were on hand to apply our procedures immediately after
pronouncement of death. Death was pronounced by telephone by a local
emergency room physician based on the paramed finding of absent vital signs.
The parameds and local police were there within a few minutes of death. There
was no official hassle of any kind, since arrangements had been made
beforehand with the medical examiner and local police. 

Robert Ettinger
Cryonics Institute


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