Cleveland State Law Review Volume 18 Issue 2 Article 19 1969 Legal Implications of Cryonics Daniel R. Spector Follow this and additional works at: https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/clevstlrev Part of the Estates and Trusts Commons, and the Science and Technology Law Commons How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! Recommended Citation Daniel R. Spector, Legal Implications of Cryonics, 18 Clev.-Marshall L. Rev. 341 (1969) This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at EngagedScholarship@CSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Cleveland State Law Review by an authorized editor of EngagedScholarship@CSU. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Legal Implications of Cryonics Daniel R. Spector* C RYOGENICS IS THE SCIENCE that deals with the production of very low temperatures and their effect on the properties of matter. The visual aspects of experiments in this field are fascinating. The practical aspects seem, at first glance, to be of considerably less consequence. However, this feeling of indifference does not arise as we ponder the ramifications of freezing one class of inanimate objects: dead human bodies. This is the realm of a more specific and indeed very new branch of cryogenics, namely, cryonics. The term cryonics was first used less than 3 years ago by an indus- trial designer and one-time Vice President of the Cryonics Society of New York, named Karl Werner. Cryogenics is the broad term. Cryo- biology deals with the effects of low temperatures on living material gen- erally. Finally, cryonics focuses on human living material and how hu- man bodies can be frozen and thus preserved until a cure for the cause of death can be found.1 Mr.