Cornish was a child prodigy graduating from the University of California, Berkeley with honors at the age of 18 and receiving a doctorate by the time he was 22.

The cornerstone of his plan consisted of a teeterboard or see-saw that was used to get the blood flowing in the recently deceased patients while a mixture of epinephrine (adrenaline) and anticoagulants was injected into their circulatory system.

Cornish decided to perfect his method on animals and managed to revive two dogs (Lazarus IV and V) clinically put to death on May 22, 1934, and in 1935.

San Quentin Death-row inmate[1] Thomas McMonigle[2] contacted Cornish, offering his body for possible reanimation following his execution.

[3] 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.