160 replies to this topic

[kurt9]

Mike Darwin has a new blog:

http://chronopause.com/

Most of the postings are the history of cryonics. However, one very good posting is on the stagnation or decline of the West.

Knowing Mike, I'm sure there well be lots of good stuff.

[Mike Darwin]

By Mike Darwin In Pursuit of a Medical Model for Cryonics When I returned to Indianapolis, Indiana from working with the Chamberlains in 1975, a high priority for me was to acquire the equipment and expertise required to integrate extracorporeal … <a href="http://chronopause.c...rt-2/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>

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[Mike Darwin]

By Mike Darwin A Great Team In January of 1980 I stabilized and transported a patient from southern Wisconsin for TT to Cryovita Labs. Jerry kindly invited me to stay and participate in this patient’s cryoprotective perfusion (CPA) perfusion and … Continue reading →

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[Mike Darwin]

By Mike Darwin Reaching for Extracorporeal Excellence Figure 27: Tamari-Kaplitt Pulsator being used for cryoprotective perfusion of a patient on 12 December, 1988. From the time Jerry and I took charge of patient care at Alcor, both standard and cutting … Continue reading →

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[Mike Darwin]

By Mike Darwin CPB at BPI When I left Alcor and started BioPreservation, Inc., (BPI) in 1992, the same high standard of care was continued. Where there was adequate notice, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was initiated in the home using mechanical … Continue reading →

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[Mike Darwin]

Thus Spake Curtis Henderson, Part I For almost thirty years now, Curtis Henderson[1] has been trying to cheat death. Like most people, he doesn’t enjoy the idea of winding up in a mortuary. Unlike most people, he’s spent a large … Continue reading →

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[Mike Darwin]

By Mike Darwin A Flash of Insight One of the most fundamental insights I’ve ever had came when I was in Rome, and also reading a very good biography of Leonardo da Vinci,1 in preparation for a visit to Florence. … Continue reading →

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[Mike Darwin]

By Charles Platt and Mike Darwin Ev Cooper (at left) “The first meeting of Ev Cooper’s that we went to, he held in Washington, D.C., at a restaurant at eight o’clock in the morning on New Year’s Day. And of … Continue reading →

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[Mike Darwin]

By Mike Darwin Figure 1: London, 2012, still magnificent, but declining from apogee. Timing is (almost) Everything Most of the essay below was written on 16 June, 2008. It was written as a post (including all of the financial graphics) … Continue reading →

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[Mike Darwin]

By Charles Platt and Mike Darwin Cryo-Care Equipment Corporation “At that time, the media were looking at cryonics from the point of view of sensationalism. They wanted to see someone get out of a coffin, you know? Saul and I … Continue reading →

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[Mike Darwin]

Villains as Heroes Back at the house commenting on a portrait hanging over the fireplace in the living room: Nguyen Van Thieu, former President of South Vietnam (at right). “Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, he led the attack at Pearl Harbor. That … Continue reading →

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[caliban]

When Mike posted his manifesto recently, things went a bit pear shaped.
Mike is a treasure trove of knowledge about cryonics history, so I called him to discuss his potential future posting activities here.
After a long conversation I summarized: "You know Mike, I think you just need a blog".

We'll import the RSS feed.

[Mike Darwin]

“There are, at a minimum, five obstacles that must be overcome in order to allow the restoration of human cryopreservation patients to life and health:1. Reversal of any ischemia or ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) suffered during the peri- and post-cardiac arrest intervals before definitive stabilization in the solid state can be undertaken.2. Repair of injuries, gross, microscopic, ultramicroscopic and biochemical, secondary to the cryopreservation process.3. Cure for the underlying pathology(ies) which caused the patient’s terminal illness.4. Replacement of any missing or discarded tissues/organs resulting from medical interventions (i.e., amputation, excision, ablation) or from neuropreservation.5. Control over and reversal of the aging process.The implication of this is that where Human Cryopreservation Organizations (HCOs) can make the most difference for the least expenditure of resources is to focus their efforts on minimizing (and ultimately eliminating) the damage their patients suffer from ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), and from CPA perfusion and cooling to storage temperature (currently -196 ºC). While these may seem three discrete and unrelated problems they are in fact powerfully related.” Continue reading →

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[Mike Darwin]

By Charles Platt and Mike Darwin Cryo-Span, Corporation “Late in 1967 these two young hippies showed up, Paul Segall and Harry (Frosty) Waitz. Paul was a biology student at Stony Brook and he was hell bent on making aging research … Continue reading →

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[Luke Parrish]

What I love about this is the way that Mike is including many interesting opinions that are of a more general nature. The fate of the economy, how well things can be mechanized, etc. -- these are vital to cryonics credibility and should also attract rational thinkers who have an interest in economics.

[Mike Darwin]

By Mike Darwin Morals with an expiration Date? Forty-seven years ago, when cryonics was brand new, a nearly universally asked question was, “What if you are married and your wife dies and is frozen, and you subsequently remarry, and you … Continue reading →

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[Luke Parrish]

The discussion of DCD totally floored me.

The UK has already adopted standards for determining and pronouncing death that expressly prohibit the application of CPR, or any modalities that restore flow to the brain or conserve brain viability. I have made inquiries, and been informed that failure to follow these Guidelines would be a serious breach of professional conduct, resulting in any licensed person being struck off; and that such action would very likely constitute a criminal act in the UK, as well (prosecution to be at the discretion of law enforcement and the prosecutor).

In order to harvest more high quality organs to save (i.e. extend) more lives, the prevailing moral stickiness apparently has backed physicians into a corner where they now consider it a violation of medical ethics to attempt to keep the brain alive after the heart stops.

[Mike Darwin]

By Charles Platt and Mike Darwin Beverly Greenberg nee ’Gillian Cummings, with her father, in July of 1972. Photo by Mike Darwin. “One day the phone rang, and there was this woman on the other end of line and she … Continue reading →

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[Mike Darwin]

The Pathophysiology of IRI While a wide range of post-insult interventions are currently being investigated in animal and clinical trials, and despite almost universal agreement that CI is a multifactorial insult, there has been little or no research aimed at … Continue reading →

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[Mike Darwin]

By Mike Darwin Morals with an Expiration Date? Forty-seven years ago, when cryonics was brand new, a nearly universally asked question was, “What if you are married and your wife dies and is frozen, and you subsequently remarry, and you … Continue reading →

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[Mike Darwin]

Onto 50 years ago now, the newborn that was cryonics was held up before the world and cried out lustily. And the world heard that cry and took note. From the tabloids to the learned journals, the infant’s birth was cataloged and commented upon. Some greeted it with wonder, some with puzzlement, and some with the contempt that was reserved for the bastard child of any culture at that time. Continue reading →

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[Mathew Sullivan]

Those who have taken the time to review Mike's article should note that I was responding to his manifesto and his extremist views to reshape cryonics organizations after that of secret societies or cults. Just to be clear, I stand in opposition to the viewpoint that cryonics organizations should become a secret society or cult.

In my view, Mike's manifesto doesn't just allow amateurs who have little medical skills to perform procedures which they are clearly not qualified to perform, but serves to reinforce that only "devout members" of cryonics can perform these procedures. In Mike's cult-like environment, the amateur would be in a position to control the flow of self-serving information, and he/she will likely see professionals as a personal threat to their domain of authority.

So, rather than alienate institutions such as the medical establishment, I believe we should be building bridges of cooperation. We should build working relationships with those who have a proven track record of success, not charlatans and/or blind followers.

[Mike Darwin]

By Mike Darwin Introduction Someone who wants to understand the critical technical, social, political or personal issues involved in cryonics may well turn to any of several FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) sites hosted by the various cryonics organizations.[1],[2],[3] As someone … Continue reading →

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[Mike Darwin]

By Mike Darwin The wise are instructed by reason, average minds by experience, the stupid by necessity, and the brute by instinct. — Marcus Tullius Cicero One of the things I find fascinating about so many people in cryonics is … <a href="http://chronopause.c...tell/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>

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[Mike Darwin]

By Mike Darwin Figure 1: The ultra-compact, lightweight and fully self contained Lifebridge Portable Extracorporeal Life Support System. Introduction The Medizintechnik GmbH Lifebridge extracorporeal life support system (Figure 1) is a device fast closing in on a technology …

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[Mike Darwin]

Introduction A person who wants to understand the critical technical, social, political or personal issues involved in cryonics may well turn to any of several FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) sites hosted by the various cryonics organizations.[1],[2],[3] As someone who was … Continue reading →

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[Mike Darwin]

"Last Aid as First Aid for Cryonicists" is part of an ongoing series of articles that will published from time to time, to inform cryonicists of what they can do for themselves locally, to minimize ischemic injury in the event of cardiac arrest. Continue reading →

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[Mathew Sullivan]

A more appropriate title would be, how to lose friends and isolate yourself by breaking social norms.

One social norm is if you are having or had a private discussion with someone in email, that you ask for permission before posting it to a blog. I've discussed this with Mike and he simply doesn't get it. So the only way I'm willing to have a discussion with Mike would be in full view of the public to avoid being an unwilling participant in his political games.

The other issue has to do with the publication of gory pictures that could bring about emotional harm to family members or friends of patients. Again, this is or should be a matter of common sense to the basic dignity and respect of others.

Edited by Mathew Sullivan, 26 February 2011 - 07:58 PM.

[Mike Darwin]

By Mike Darwin

“Off with their heads! Off with their heads!" That's what Melody Maxim says! The Queen of Perfusion? No, that’s just a delusion. And once you read this There will be no confusion!

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[Mike Darwin]

This post is in response to a comment made by  Abelard Lindsey  on 02-27-2011. Since my response necessitates the use of illustrations, I am making it here, rather than in the comments section. Abelard Lindsey kurt2100kimo@yahoo.com.tw 71.236.250.197 2011/02/27 at 12:42 … Continue reading →

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