New Treatment

In the journal “Science,” researchers from Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center reported an experiment they performed in which mice were forced into hibernation and then revived with no apparent ill effects. They used a small amount of hydrogen sulfide gas to force the mice into a state of hibernation for six hours. Once the gas was inhaled by the mice their body temperature plummeted from the normal 98 degrees down to 59 degrees and their respiration slowed. Their normal cellular activity slowed to almost a standstill, thus reducing the need for oxygen. Once the six hours were up, fresh air was given to the mice to revive them and testing uncovered no differences in behavior or functional ability between the treated and non-treated test subjects. Should they study on larger animals? If this proves to work then it might help preserve organs. I think they should continue there research because this might lead to better health care for people. A new treatment might lead to a way to reduce some of the high health care costs. What do you think?