X-Message-Number: 9497
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1998 12:30:04 -0400
From: John Bull <>
Subject: Paul Wakfer & Cheap Storage 

In Cryonet #9491 Paul Wakfer states "the amortized yearly cost of  CI
storage is at least as high as that of CryoSpan and Alcor." Paul, have
you factored in the inevitable repair costs to these dewars?

My personal experience goes back to one bought in 1969 by a good friend
of mine, from Minnesota Valley and Engineering Co. It carried a ten year
guarantee (not much when you consider what it was to be used for). It
lasted just about ten years before losing it's vacuum. We had to remove
the bodies and haul it too a repair shop in the New York City area. The
"repair" lasted about two years. The second time we didn't get to the
capsule in time, the bodies thawed out and were later buried.

CI's oldest fiberglass cryostat is eleven years old, has never been
repaired, and shows no sign of needing repair. Additionally while CI's
LN2 cost per patient may be higher than Alcor's and CryoSpan, this cost
per patient will come down as CI builds bigger cryostats.

Incidentally, the capsule I referred to was given to Mike Darwin and
could possibly be in use today?

John Bull

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