Robert E. Cornish (December 21, 1903 – March 6, 1963) was an American

biologist A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological inter ...

and writer, best known for his resuscitation experiments.

Biography

Cornish was a child prodigy graduating from the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...

with honors at the age of 18 and receiving a doctorate by the time he was 22. He worked on various projects including one that allowed for reading newspapers under water with special lenses. In 1932 he became interested in the idea that he could restore life to the dead. The cornerstone of his plan consisted of a

teeterboard The teeterboard or Korean plank is an acrobatic apparatus that resembles a playground seesaw. The strongest teeterboards are made of oak (usually 9 feet in length). The board is divided in the middle by a fulcrum made of welded steel. At each end ...

see-saw A seesaw (also sometimes known as a teeter-totter in North America) is a long, narrow board supported by a single pivot point, most commonly located at the midpoint between both ends; as one end goes up, the other goes down. These are most comm ...

that was used to get the blood flowing in the recently deceased patients while a mixture of

epinephrine Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is a hormone and medication which is involved in regulating visceral functions (e.g., respiration). It appears as a white microcrystalline granule. Adrenaline is normally produced by the adrenal glands a ...

(adrenaline) and

anticoagulant An anticoagulant, commonly known as a blood thinner, is a chemical substance that prevents or reduces the coagulation of blood, prolonging the clotting time. Some occur naturally in blood-eating animals, such as leeches and mosquitoes, which ...

s was injected into their circulatory system. In 1933 he attempted to revive victims of heart attack, drowning, and electrocution with the teeter board, but had no success. Cornish decided to perfect his method on animals and managed to revive twenty dogs (Lazarus I through XX) clinically put to death (presumably) on May 22, 1934, and in 1935. As his experiments were successful on his dogs, Cornish wished to expand his clinical trials to include human testing. San Quentin Death-row inmate Thomas McMonigle contacted Cornish, offering his body for possible reanimation following his execution. California law enforcement refused Cornish and McMonigle's petition, due to concerns a reanimated murderer would have to be freed under the "double jeopardy" clause. After denial of the petition, McMonigle was executed in San Quentin's

gas chamber A gas chamber is an apparatus for killing humans or animals with gas, consisting of a sealed chamber into which a poisonous or asphyxiant gas is introduced. Poisonous agents used include hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide. History Donatie ...

on 20 February 1948.

Selected publications

*''Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies'' (1943)

In popular media

* Cornish played himself in the 1935 film ''

Life Returns ''Life Returns'' is an American film directed by Eugene Frenke. The film stars Onslow Stevens, George P. Breakston and Lois Wilson with a plot that involves a doctor who is convinced that the dead can be brought back to life gets the chance to pr ...

'', which was based on the story of his experiments. * The story of his experiments were featured in a 2012 episode of '' Dark Matters: Twisted But True''. * Travel Channel's Monumental Mysteries presented his experiments in the 08/08/14 episode; the segment was titled,
The Reanimator
. * History.com's The Unbelievable With Dan Aykroyd told the story 31 Jan 2025 (S2E12). * The 2015 film '' The Lazarus Effect'' was based on his experiments. * The Italian choreographer Fredy Franzutti creates, in 2022 for ''Balletto del Sud'', a choreography entitled ''Effetto Lazarus'', dedicated to the studies of Robert E. Cornish, on the notes of the macabre dance by

Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (, , 9October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano ...

References

External links

Fragment of newspaper article about Lazarus V revival

Article: Lazarus, Dead & Alive, TIME magazine, 1934 1903 births 1963 deaths University of California, Berkeley alumni 20th-century American biologists {{US-biologist-stub