X-Message-Number: 6881
Date:  Wed, 11 Sep 96 17:56:47 
From: Dave Pizer <>
Subject: The research opportunity is NOW

To Cryonet
>From Dave Pizer

Hi Friends and fellow mortals:

By now you have read the post by Cryonics Institute and Alcor regarding 
their obtaining the exclusive rights of the Visser technology for 
cryonics use.

Steve Bridge, Bob Ettinger, and the Vissers may be able to answer some 
of the many questions.  Other answers must wait until after the Vissers 
have their article published or otherwise feel it is the right time to 
answer.  There are many things at stake here besides just the cryonics 
uses.

I cannot answer a lot of the technical questions, but here is what I 
saw:  A rat heart was perfused with their technology and immersed in 
liquid nitrogen.  The temperature probe in the heart reached very close 
to liquid nitrogen  temperature.  The heart was removed and warmed.  As 
the heart began to warm it began to beat on its own.

Our scientists also informally compared two frozen rat *brains*, one 
protected with the Visser technology and one without.  There appeared to 
be a significant difference (positive) in condition of the one that was 
protected.  I know this does not answer many questions.  What we need 
now is to do more research on our own as quickly as possible.  Perhaps, 
in time, there will be a new company formed to help develop this 
technology in a big way. But for the time being, we can learn quite a 
lot more by doing some work in the lab here in Scottsdale.  

Right now we need some help for our biochemist, Hugh Hixon, plus further 
equipment and supplies.  It will not take a lot of money to do some 
significant work at this early stage. A total of $100,000 would go a 
long way right now.   So this is a very good time to send a tax-
deductible donation to Alcor.   Bob Ettinger may also post something 
about donations to CI for their research on this.

In the future, if other ways of investing in this technology are 
created, you may be able to participate in them, also.  But for now, 
there is only one way you can make a difference in the speed this 
technology is perfected, and that is by a donation.

I believe that donating to the immediate development of this technology  
does *not* compete with the Prometheus plan, since it will not be ready 
to do any research for one and a half years.  A small donation to Alcor 
or Cryonics Institute right now could make a big difference in cutting 
the time until we have reversible suspended animation.  A lot of lives 
may  be at stake.

Dave Pizer


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