X-Message-Number: 778
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Subject: For Mailblast
Date: Wed, 29 Apr 92 01:42:49 PDT


  PILGERAM CASE

  Depending on your impressions, this case, in which an Alcor 
  patient, Cynthia Pilgeram, had previously expressed a wish for 
  "Christian burial" rather than cremation or freezing, is either 
  (1) a clearcut example of someone explicitly rejecting cryonic 
  suspension and expressing a wish for an alternative, or (2) not 
  the above. I have studied it and had a chance to talk to several 
  of those more involved than myself, including her husband. I 
  don't feel it is a clearcut case of where someone is trying to 
  exercise the right to (from our point of view) self-destruct, 
  thus, it is "not the above". Instead there is reasonable doubt 
  that, at the time of her death, Mrs. Pilgeram wanted to 
  contravene the wishes of her husband (who wanted and arranged for 
  her freezing) and instead wanted to be buried. Below are some 
  thoughts on why I feel Mrs. Pilgeram should stay in suspension, 
  where I have tried to adhere to what might be considered 
  significant by a court composed of non-cryonicists, who unlike us 
  would not see this as a life-and-death issue. Recently, as most 
  readers are probably aware, a court in Santa Barbara decided Mrs. 
  Pilgeram should have her burial, i.e., be removed from cryonic 
  suspension. However, no actual order to this effect has been 
  issued by the court, and the case will probably be appealed by 
  her husband, which will probably take on the order of a year, at 
  least.

 
  **********************************************

  REASONS WHY CYNTHIA PILGERAM SHOULD REMAIN IN
  CRYONIC SUSPENSION RATHER THAN BE BURIED

  1. Unlike burial, cryonic suspension is conservative. It is 
  possible at any time to commit a body in cryonic suspension to 
  burial, whereas it is not possible, once a body has been thawed 
  and buried, to restore its state of preservation under cryonic 
  suspension.

  2. Reasonable doubt exists that Cynthia Pilgeram was opposed to 
  her cryonic suspension at or shortly before the time of her 
  death. While she may not have been enthusiastic, she seems to 
  have been willing to accede to the wishes of her husband in 
  having her frozen. The testimony does not indicate any strong 
  wish for burial or any strong desire to contravene the wishes of 
  her husband in the last year of her life. The will dated March 
  21, 1986, which leaves the bulk of the estate of Cynthia Pilgeram 
  to her sister, Sharon Fields, and which stipulates that Cynthia 
  wanted ``Christian burial,'' was invalidated by later changes to 
  the estate to which Cynthia gave written approval. Cynthia must 
  have been aware that the will was no longer valid, yet made no 
  effort to execute another document stating she wished to be 
  buried or did not wish to be frozen.

  3. To remove Cynthia from cryonic suspension will have a 
  devastating effect on her husband, Laurence Pilgeram, a Ph.D. 
  biochemist who views cryonic suspension as a plausible means of 
  extending the life of his wife. To maintain Cynthia in cryonic 
  suspension, despite the objections of certain relatives, offers 
  no similar devastating prospect because the option of burial is 
  open at any time and because there is no compromise of the 
  chances, great or small, of extending her life.

  4. Cryonic suspension offers the possibility, through means as 
  yet undeveloped but related to those that would be required for 
  reanimation, of ascertaining the state of mind and the true 
  wishes of the decedent. This would involve recovery and analysis 
  of memory information in the brain. Such information would be 
  irretrievably lost through burial.

  5. It has not been shown or ascertained in what way cryonic 
  suspension would be objectionable from the standpoint of 
  Cynthia's religious background or beliefs. Cryonic suspension 
  does not appear to be incompatible with Christianity nor with 
  appropriate services that might be performed on behalf of the 
  decedent.

  ************************************************************

  Persons interested in saving Cynthia might help with opinions 
  expressed, or possibly eventually, financial contributions for 
  attorney's fees, etc. (nothing definite re the latter as yet 
  however). Readers' opinions appreciated, but please send them
  directly (by e-mail or telephone) to Mike Perry rather than to
  the cryonics mailing list.

                          Mike Perry, 714-736-1703

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