from wired -- Jenny McKeel : Scientists have successfully reanimated dogs after three hours of clinical death. The folks at the Safar Center for Resuscitation Research drained the canines' veins of blood and filled them up with an ice-cold salt solution. The hounds were declared dead, but their tissues and organs were preserved. Three hours later, the researchers replaced the blood and jolted the pooches back to life with an electric shock. Tests showed they were perfectly normal, with no brain damage. The idea is that the macabre technique could one day help save human lives. "The results are stunning. I think in 10 years we will be able to prevent death in a certain segment of (patients) using this technology," said one U.S. battlefield doctor.
Ruspir, it was my understanding the SO2 triggered a lot of cellular changes to reduce oxygen requirements , but that may be true about the saline.
As for battlefield practice, I suupose the idea would be to cool the body and make the flow of blood reduce in order to halt or reduce bleeding and in addition stabilise the victim until they can be operated on. Certainly in Viet Nam, more casualties survivied by applictaions of stabilising techniques than any other innnovation - Leading to a survival rate 10 times greater than in the Korean conflict.