X-Message-Number: 11141
From: "Philip Rhoades" <>
Subject: Australian Situation
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 22:10:08 -0000

Hello all,

>Message #11137
>Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 12:48:34 -0500 (EST)
>From: Charles Platt <>
>Subject: Australia
>
>I'm interested by the two responses from people in Australia, but puzzled
>by the lack of specificity. I'm genuinely curious about the arrangements
>there.


Sorry for the lack of specifics - I am only just getting formally involved
with the Australian organisation.

>I assume you have no perfusion capability, and you would flush with
>Viaspan or similar, then pack in ice and air-ship to the USA. Does anyone
>actually maintain a supply of organ preservation solution? Also, do you
>have a portable ice bath, and the cocktail of meds that are commonly used
>(e.g. by Alcor) immediately after legal death? Do you have a Thumper?
>Does anyone feel confident about intubating the patient?


If no-one else responds (who has been more involved than I) I will attempt
to answer from some of the printed material that I have been supplied with.

>I realize that most deaths are preceded by warning signs, theoretically
>enabling the patient to reach help. Indeed, I rely on this fact myself to
>some extent, because I do NOT live close to a core group of cryonicists.
>(Some good people at Alcor have very generously offered to travel the 100
>miles to my location, in case of emergency, but naturally, ideally, I
>would hope to be treated by CryoCare's usual service provider, which is 5
>times farther away.)


Isn't it better to be treated directly at CryoCare?

>If you did have to respond in Australia, and do a washout there, I'm
>wondering if you could really get the patient to Alcor within 24 hours;
>and also I'm wondering if anyone in Australia really knows how to do a
>femoral cutdown.


Again, if there is no other response, I will find this info.

>These questions are not intended to be critical. They are relevant to
>problems that are faced by anyone living in a remote area--inside the
>USA, or outside it.


No offence taken - they are relevent questions.

>Lastly: How many cryonicists in Australia at this time? Does anyone know?


About a dozen as far as I know. I was very surprised by this figure -
although I had had a peripheral interest in cryonics for some years (I just
hadn't got my act together to do anything substantial) I assumed that there
would be hundreds if not thousands of cryonicists in Australia and maybe
millions in the US! - couldn't have been more wrong I guess. It is just
staggering that this isn't the case - do any old timers notice an upwards
trend in interest in the last few years?

Regards,

Phil.

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