There is a lot of talk on the Net today about "Zombie Dogs." This is a scientific effort to develop a procedure that would help save the lives of humans who have suffered a lot of blood loss.
From yesterday's News.com.au:
SCIENTISTS have created eerie zombie dogs, reanimating the canines after several hours of clinical death in attempts to develop suspended animation for humans.
US scientists have succeeded in reviving the dogs after three hours of clinical death, paving the way for trials on humans within years.
Pittsburgh's Safar Centre for Resuscitation Research has developed a technique in which subject's veins are drained of blood and filled with an ice-cold salt solution.
The animals are considered scientifically dead, as they stop breathing and have no heartbeat or brain activity.
But three hours later, their blood is replaced and the zombie dogs are brought back to life with an electric shock.
Plans to test the technique on humans should be realised within a year, according to the Safar Centre.
However rather than sending people to sleep for years, then bringing them back to life to benefit from medical advances, the boffins would be happy to keep people in this state for just a few hours.
But even this should be enough to save lives such as battlefield casualties and victims of stabbings or gunshot wounds, who have suffered huge blood loss.
During the procedure blood is replaced with saline solution at a few degrees above zero. The dogs' body temperature drops to only 7C, compared with the usual 37C, inducing a state of hypothermia before death.
Although the animals are clinically dead, their tissues and organs are perfectly preserved.
Damaged blood vessels and tissues can then be repaired via surgery. The dogs are brought back to life by returning the blood to their bodies,giving them 100 per cent oxygen and applying electric shocks to restart their hearts.
Tests show they are perfectly normal, with no brain damage.
"The results are stunning. I think in 10 years we will be able to prevent death in a certain segment of those using this technology," said one US battlefield doctor. (Via Slashdot)
A flashback article on cryonics from the National Review here.
Neurosurgeons have been experimenting with something similar to this for years, such that they can reduce a person's blood pressure safely enough to undertake delicate aneurysm clipping operations, and other types of surgeries that have a high risk for heavy blood loss.
Kathryn Jean Lopez links the Zombie Dogs story to the Supreme Court:
"Actually, the zombie dogs story links to the politics of the court wonderfully. What if we place justices like Thomas (when he's ready to retire) into suspended animation to bring out during Supreme Court Constitutional crises? He could be on display (hopefully he can go in there clothed) in the entry area of the SCOTUS building, with a big sign that says "In Case of Constitutional Crisis, Break Glass."
Heh.
