The Franklin expedition: What sequential analysis of hair reveals about lead exposure prior to death

Abstract

Hypotheses on why the 1845 Franklin expedition to the Arctic ended in tragedy include suggestions of lead (Pb) poisoning. Hair keratin was sequentially analysed for isotopic ratios and lead concentrations from remains of a Franklin expedition member, tentatively identified as HDS Goodsir, buried on King William Island in the Canadian arctic. We approximated lead concentrations in Goodsir's blood to elucidate a pattern of lead burden in the three months prior to death.Lead isotope ratios in Goodsir's hair were almost identical to that of the bodies discovered on King William and Beechey Islands. The lead concentrations (73.3–84.4 ppm) reflect more immediate exposure and are high by today's standards. Estimated blood lead concentrations (~53.6–61.3 μg/dL), suggest that lead exposure, while high, may not have been sufficient to cause worsening physical and mental symptoms. Lead ingestion likely occurred during the expedition; however, it is probable that multiple factors are responsible for the loss of the expedition, of which lead exposure may have been one.