X-Message-Number: 7536
Date:  Mon, 20 Jan 97 00:17:49 
From: Mike Perry <>
Subject: Freezing in France

Recently there was some discussion of a freezing in France 
that took place some years ago (for example Anatole 
Dolinoff, #7353, Dec. 24). A woman, Monique Martinot, 
was frozen by her husband Dr. Raymond Martinot after she 
died 25 Feb. 1984. Since then she has been maintained at
-55 C in a freezer, but might be thawed out when her hus-
band dies. I've had some correspondence with Dolinoff, 
which is reprinted below edited by me for English. I thank 
Mr. Dolinoff for reviewing the present posting in its en-
tirety and for giving permision to post it to CryoNet.

*****************************************
[Anatole Dolinoff to Mike Perry, Dec. 27, 1996:]

Hi Mike !

There is nothing confidential in the following.

Dr Raymond Martinot intends to be frozen and hopes that 
his son will do that in France. He hopes also that the same 
son will continue to store his wife Monique at -55 C or so. 
As I see it, this is an infeasible dream.

I don't support the cold storage of Monique because she 
began by remaining at room temperature 7 hours. This was 
because of a technical problem with refrigeration in the 
clinic where she died.  Since then, she has been stored at
-55 C (that is, since 1984).  Under these conditions, to 
pretend as Martinot does that the chances of a future return 
to life of his wife are 15% is, in my estimation, a madman's 
fantasy.

In return, Dr Martinot has refused to put me in touch with 
another man desiring to put his deceased mother into cold 
storage. As a result, the said mother remained a month and 
a half at a few degrees below zero centigrade. After that, as 
soon as this man got my address thanks to an American 
organization, this woman was put into dry ice (stored in a 
cemetery), and contract negotions were started--but these 
dragged on for some time. Finally, after a year and a half 
on dry ice, the woman was sent to Cryonics Institute and, 
being found in acceptable condition, was placed into liquid
nitrogen storage.

Thus, I have no contacts with Dr Martinot. I know only that 
the Authorities have told him that if they permit his wife to 
remain at -55 C in the basement of his chateau, this 
authorization will cease when he dies.  

As I see it, Dr Martinot doesn't have and never will have 
the money to allow his wife and/or himself to be sent to the 
States for cold storage.  Also, his son will not have the right 
to continue the cold storage of his parents.

But if it is your wish to get in touch with him, I give you 
the address of Dr Martinot from ten years ago:

15, Avenue Victor Hugo
RUEIL-MALMAISON 92500
FRANCE

Sincerely :
     
Anatole DOLINOFF 
***************************************************

[MP again:] In a later message Mr. Dolinoff also added 
that, according to what he heard several times, he thinks it 
is likely that Dr. Martinot would *not* send his wife to the 
States nor permit himself to be sent (after his freezing, if it 
happens). The way he has carried out the freezing it has 
been very inexpensive for him--because he charges admis-
sion to tour groups who come to visit the basement of his 
chateau where his wife is stored!

It looks then as if it could be difficult to arrange for more 
secure storage for this case, given the mindset of the people 
involved. I very recently wrote to Dr. Martinot at the above 
address, and am waiting for a reply. (Has anyone had any 
success contacting him?) Another point worth making, I 
think, is that, without further information to go on, I would 
favor continuing the freezing (contrary to Mr. Dolinoff's 
opinion) in spite of the 7 hours of warm ischemia and other 
problems (not excepting that -55 C is not very cold for 
longterm storage, and there is the additional problem of 
whether any warming from *this* temperature has occurred 
in the more than ten years since the freezing). An x-ray or 
CT scan would reveal something about the condition of the 
brain. To save on cost the sensible thing would be to 
convert Ms. Martinot to neuro, which might then permit the 
authorities to commit the rest of the body to burial and 
satisfy their requirements--but it remains to be seen if neuro 
would be acceptable to the people involved.

I asked Mr. Dolinoff about the possibility of freezing brains 
in France and sending the brain out of the country (minus 
the body of course). The main problem with this, according 
to him, is that brain death criteria would be applied, i.e. the 
brain could not be removed until brainwave activity had 
ceased (for a "sufficient" time--three hours by clinical 
standards in France)--very bad for cryonics.

Mike Perry

http:\\www.alcor.org 


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