08 February, 1974
Trans Time’s first two patients, shortly after being placed head down inside a dual patient Minnesota Valley Engineering cryogenic dewar, on 08 February 1974 in Emeryville, California. The dewar was originally constructed to store cryonics patient Clara Dostal, at the facilities of the Cryonics Society of New York on West Babylon, Long Island, NY. However, when Dostal’s son and daughter decided not to proceed with her cryopreservation, the dewar was sold to the son of the patient (RM) whose foil-wrapped feet are visible in the upper part of the unit.
The dewar rests horizontally on a castered wooden dolly awaiting being hoisted into an upright position for filling with refrigerating liquid nitrogen. This cumbersome system was later replaced with a simple and elegant “capsule rocker” developed by Trans Time engineer John Day.
Today, RM is in liquid nitrogen storage at Alcor’s facilities in Scottsdale, AZ. The other patient in the dewar that day (MD) is now in storage at the Cryonics Institute, along with her husband and son.
Photo by Jim Yount.