X-Message-Number: 6213
Subject: Cryonics and the Medical Ethic
Date: Thu, 16 May 1996 10:20:52 -0400
From: "Perry E. Metzger" <>

> From:  (hEpCaT)
> 
> > I'm glad people associated with the organizations that will
> > cryopreserve me do not share your "humble opinion". I want good
> > quality medical care. Cryopreservation is a last resort form of
> > medical care, not a first resort. You appear to be treating it as a
> > goal rather than a tragic last ditch attempt to get the patient to
> > survive long enough to get better medical treatment.
> 
> Huh? How do you figure that? If, for instance, you take an aids patient 
> that is just days or even hours away from death and there's no visible
> cure in sight, then I'd say cryonic suspension is a pretty good goal
> myself! That is, as long as the person can afford it because he or she 
> doesn't have a lot of exhorbitant medical expenses. But, there also comes
> a time for each doctor when they have to draw the line, and I imagine
> that must be very hard and if they choose to futiley prolong the terminal 
> course with resources earmarked for cryonics the result is permanent death. 
> That was my only point.

You seem to have missed a big point. 

The way you deanimate is very important to the chance cryonics is
going to work. If you spend twelve hours with marginal amounts of
oxygen getting to your brain, the mush that's left before your heart
gives out isn't exactly optimal cryonics material. Mike Darwin keeps
pointing out that it is essential that people get good medical care
right up until the end.

There is also the humanitarian question. If you honestly think Tim
Leary is better off dying in a household where no one pays attention
when he's in pain and needs palliatives and the like, or where no one
notices that he's cut open his head, well, thats fine. If I were
dying, I'd want 24 hour nursing care to make sure that the misery was
kept to a minimum.

As I said, I'm glad that Biopreservation tries to pay attention to the
overall medical well being of patients, and isn't just a glorified
meat wagon.

Perry


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