X-Message-Number: 7446
Date: 07 Jan 97 23:34:18 EST
From: Paul Wakfer <>
Subject: Re: Autopsy and Unfavorable Circumstance

     I was very pleased to see Mike Darwin's excellent post on this
subject. Though there are many aspects of life about which we differ, this
is one subject on which we have independently come to be in full agreement
over the years. We are also both, in our different ways, deeply committed
to solving the problem.
     I believe that the only acceptable answer to this problem is for all
those who love life to strengthen our resolve, to dig deeply into our
pockets, and to fund and execute a research effort to develop a fully-
reversible, medically accepted, suspended animation protocol. Yes, this
would not *ensure* that every dying person who wished it, obtained the best
possible life-saving treatment. But it would produce a medical, cultural
environment which would drive strongly in that direction.
     I am convinced that very soon after suspended animation is perfected
terminal patients will win the right to *elect* it, before the damaging
agonal process begins. Later, even those who are not near-term terminal,
but wish to end their pain and suffering, would gain the right to elect it.
Because they would otherwise be guilty of harming potentially living
patients, coroners would want to immediately ascertain whether a case was
enrolled for suspension or not and if so, very quickly obtain any necessary
information from the patient's body in as non-damaging a way as possible
and release it as quickly as possible to the waiting medical team.
Paramedics would take a different view of cases which now they see as
clearly 'dead' and would handle them and rush them to the hospital just as
quickly and carefully as they now expedite those who they see as clearly
having a 'good chance'. Moreover, I believe that the entire approach of our
society to the situation, discovery and handling of those who appear to be
near 'death' would change in ways that are hardly imaginable today.

     All of this can and will occur, and will give us a chance for our
dream of vastly extended life, if only we get off our butts, examine our
deepest values, tighten our financial belts, and *make* it happen.


-- Paul --

Paul Wakfer
email:  phone:909-481-9620  pager:800-805-2870

HELP TO ACHIEVE - PERFECTED SUSPENDED ANIMATION WITHIN 20 YEARS!

Check out the Prometheus Project web site at URL:
http://www.prometheus-project.org/prometheus/


Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=7446