# Lead from the solder of the tinned food, or from the ships' water systems, poisoned the crews.

> Disputed: Lead from the solder of the tinned food, or from the ships' water systems, poisoned the crews.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/franklin-expedition/answers/ANS0D59K0B06ECJ/lead-from-the-solder-of-the-tinned-food-or-from-the-ships  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[Franklin expedition (HMS Erebus and HMS Terror)](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/franklin-expedition)[Why did 24 of 129 men die aboard Erebus and Terror before April 1848, when other Arctic expeditions lost few?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/franklin-expedition/questions/QST0D59JZ3Y4S45/why-did-24-of-129-men-die-aboard-erebus-and-terror-before)Answer

Answer · Franklin expedition (HMS Erebus and HMS Terror)

# Lead from the solder of the tinned food, or from the ships' water systems, poisoned the crews.

Lead from the solder of the tinned food, or from the ships' water systems, poisoned the crews.

**Disputed** Answers **1** questionPublished0

## Where it stands

**Disputed** Two pieces of evidence for, one against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- Lead in tissue formed during the voyage is markedly higher than in contemporary sailors.
- Lead rises over time, and is higher in men who died later.
- Lead isotopes match a source on board.

## What would rule it out

- Lead levels in voyage-formed tissue no higher than in contemporary Royal Navy comparison samples.

## Evidence 2 for · 1 against

[High lead levels in the Erebus Bay bones.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/franklin-expedition/evidence/EVD0D59K12E4WJR/high-lead-levels-in-the-erebus-bay-bones)

Suggestive

FOR

[Lead isotope ratios in Beechey Island sailors matched the solder of the expedition's tins.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/franklin-expedition/evidence/EVD0D59K0JT4732/lead-isotope-ratios-in-beechey-island-sailors-matched-the)

Supported

FOR

[Lead was similar at Beechey and King William Island, not markedly raised near death, and not high relative to…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/franklin-expedition/evidence/EVD0D59K0TM1S4M/lead-was-similar-at-beechey-and-king-william-island-not)

Supported

AGAINST

## The questions it answers

[Why did 24 of 129 men die aboard Erebus and Terror before April 1848, when other Arctic expeditions lost few?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/franklin-expedition/questions/QST0D59JZ3Y4S45/why-did-24-of-129-men-die-aboard-erebus-and-terror-before)

Most likelyScurvy and malnutrition, as the provisions lost their value, killed or weakened the crews

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). Lead from the solder of the tinned food, or from the ships' water systems, poisoned the crews. [Answer ANS0D59K0B06ECJ]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D59K0B06ECJ
```

Key

**ANS** 0D59K0B06ECJ

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Published

Version

1

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