X-Message-Number: 2163
From:  (Thomas Donaldson)
Subject: Re: cryonics: #2156-#2162
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 0:55:53 PDT

I would add to the issue of brain waves when frozen by saying that the
work on cooling down small animals to 0 C and even slightly below, so that
ice formed inside them, also reported testing their brains for electrical
activity. They had none. Try looking in AU Smith, ed. BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF
FREEZING AND SUPERCOOLING, London, 1961; article by Aubrey Smith herself,
"Revival of mammals from body temperatures below zero", pp. 304-368. 

Incidentally, this work conclusively proved that our memories were not
preserved through electrical activity in our brains.

The current major problem is cracking and other destruction to the tissue
structure of our brain. For those who only recently began to listen in, the
long discussion about maintaining patients at a temperature higher than LN2
comes from this problem: with the right solutions replacing the blood, AND
a somewhat higher temperature, cracking should be much less.

I personally don't think this cracking will necessarily destroy the information
about what the brain structure should be. However that is a judgement and
not an experimental proof, and I'd rather prevent it than sit around hoping
that it won't prevent revival. But I'll also say that even if we do find
ways to prevent it in most cases, you can also be very unlucky --- enough
so that we can't get cryoprotectant solutions into your (already damaged)
brain. So its also still important to find out just what that cracking 
destroys or does not destroy. (How could that happen? Well, you might simply
be found dead. Or the State might want to autopsy you. Or despite trying,
the suspension team and even those who know what to do simply don't get
there in time).
			Best and long life,
				Thomas

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