Changes

=Overview=

=Overview=

Over the years there have been anecdotes about Inuit taboos against eating polar bear livers, and a scattering of reports by arctic and antarctic explorers about the consequences of eating polar bear (and huskie) livers.  Here I have documented the experiences of some explorers with toxic livers. In terms of the psychological effects of Vitamin A, it is worth noting that depression is not mentioned as an effect of eating toxic livers; CNS effects are common, however, such as vertigo, irratibility, and hallucinations.

Over the years there have been anecdotes about Inuit taboos against eating [[Polar Bear Liver|polar bear livers]], and a scattering of reports by arctic and antarctic explorers about the consequences of eating polar bear (and huskie) livers.  Here I have documented the experiences of some explorers with toxic livers. In terms of the psychological effects of Vitamin A, it is worth noting that depression is not mentioned as an effect of eating toxic livers; CNS effects are common, however, such as vertigo, irratibility, and hallucinations.

For a recent review see:  

For a recent review see:  

O’Donnell, J.  Polar Hysteria: An expression of hypervitaminosis A. Amer. J.Therapeutics. 11(2004):507-516.

O’Donnell, J.  Polar Hysteria: An expression of hypervitaminosis A. Amer. J.Therapeutics. 11(2004):507-516. PMID 15543093

=1597  Gerrit de Veer=

=1597  Gerrit de Veer=

“The three voyages of William Barents to the arctic regions (1594, 1595, 1596)”

“The three voyages of William Barents to the arctic regions (1594, 1595, 1596)”

(book and electronic link available at FSU.)

(book (Strozier G690 1594 .V4152 1970) and [http://eebo.chadwyck.com/eebo/image/2241 electronic version] available at FSU. [https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64257 1880's version] available from Project Gutenberg.)

Quoting O’Donnell:

Quoting O’Donnell:

=1855 Elisha Kane =

=1855 Elisha Kane =

Kane, E.K. Arctic Explorations. The second Grinnell expedition in search of Sir John Franklin, 1853, 1854, 1855. Ed. Loomis, C. and Martin, C. R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co, Chicago: 1996.

Kane, E.K. Arctic Explorations. The second Grinnell expedition in search of Sir John Franklin, 1853, 1854, 1855. Ed. Loomis, C. and Martin, C. R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co, Chicago: 1996.

Kane is often cited as the source for Vitamin A overdose inducing depression. However,  while Kane often mentions “depression” among the men, it is only in the context of the mental state brought on by being stranded in the polar ice with diminishing supplies and increasing illness and fatalities (not polar bear liver consumption).  He does state the polar bear liver (of a well-fed cub) could bring on illness. Kane and the crew often fed on their huskies as well, but there is no mention of illness as found by Mawson (below).  

Kane is often cited as the source for Vitamin A overdose inducing depression. However,  while Kane often mentions “depression” among the men, it is only in the context of the mental state brought on by being stranded in the polar ice with diminishing supplies and increasing illness and fatalities (not polar bear liver consumption).  He does state the polar bear liver (of a well-fed cub) could bring on illness. Kane and the crew often fed on their huskies as well, but there is no mention of illness as found by Mawson (below).  ( the Donnelly edition is abridged; I should go look at the original. I think there is a scanned version on line someplace).  

Quoting from Kane: (p. 222-3)

Quoting from Kane: (p. 222-3)

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Cleland J, Southcott RV. Hypervitaminosis A in the Antarctic in the Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911-1914: a possible explanation of the illness of Mertz and Mawson. Med J Aust 1969; 1: 1337-1342.

Cleland J, Southcott RV. Hypervitaminosis A in the Antarctic in the Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911-1914: a possible explanation of the illness of Mertz and Mawson. Med J Aust 1969; 1: 1337-1342.

Shearman DJ. Vitamin A and Sir Douglas Mawson. BMJ 1978; 1: 283-285.

Shearman DJ. Vitamin A and Sir Douglas Mawson. BMJ 1978; 1: 283-285. PMID 340007

Nataraja, A. Man’s best friend? Student BMJ 10 (2002)158-9 (http://www.studentbmj.com). A summary of Mawson, D., Fiennes, R. Home of the blizzard, a true storyof  Antarctic survival.Edinburgh:Birlinn,2000.  (Both Mawson and Fiennes have books describing their antartic experiences, which are in Strozier Library)   

Nataraja, A. Man’s best friend? [http://student.bmj.com/student/view-article.html?id=sbmj0205158 Student BMJ 10 (2002)158-9]. A summary of Mawson, D., Fiennes, R. Home of the blizzard, a true storyof  Antarctic survival.Edinburgh:Birlinn,2000.  (Both Mawson and Fiennes have books describing their antartic experiences, which are in Strozier Library)   

Quoting from Nataraja’s article:

Quoting from Nataraja’s article:

The case of Mertz is discussed by Carrington-Smith, who suggests that Mertz's symptoms can be accounted for by severe food deprivation, rather than vitamin toxicity. Her article has a nice concise summary of both polar cases and clinical cases of hypervitamintosis A.

The case of Mertz is discussed by Carrington-Smith, who suggests that Mertz's symptoms can be accounted for by severe food deprivation, rather than vitamin toxicity. Her article has a nice concise summary of both polar cases and clinical cases of hypervitamintosis A.

Carrington-Smith, D. Mawson and Mertz: a re-evaluation of their ill-fated mapping journey during the 1911–1914 Australasian Antarctic Expedition. Med. J. Australia, 183 (2005) 638-641 <https://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/183_11_051205/car10291_fm.html>

Carrington-Smith, D. Mawson and Mertz: a re-evaluation of their ill-fated mapping journey during the 1911–1914 Australasian Antarctic Expedition. [https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2005/183/11/mawson-and-mertz-re-evaluation-their-ill-fated-mapping-journey-during-1911-1914 Med. J. Australia, 183 (2005) 638-641 ]

 

=Levels of Vitamin A in Arctic Animals=

=Levels of Vitamin A in Arctic Animals=

Some references I need to look up:

Some references I need to look up:

Feeney RE. Polar journeys: the role of food and nutrition in early exploration. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, and Fairbanks: University of Alaska Press, 1997. DIRAC  TX601 .F44 1997

Feeney RE. Polar journeys: the role of food and nutrition in early exploration. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society, and Fairbanks: University of Alaska Press, 1997. DIRAC  TX601 .F44 1997

Lewis, R. W., and J. A. Lentfer. 1967. The vitamin A content of polar bear liver: range  

Lewis, R. W., and J. A. Lentfer. 1967. The vitamin A content of polar bear liver: range and variability. Compar. Biochem. Physiol. 22:923-926.  

and variability. Compar. Biochem. Physiol. 22:923-926.  

 

 

 

Rodahl, K. 1949. Toxicity of polar bear liver. Nature 164:530.  

Rodahl, K., and T. Moore. 1943. The vitamin A content and toxicity of bear and seal liver. Biochemical Journal 37:166­68. PMID 16747610

Rodahl, K., and T. Moore. 1943. The vitamin A content and toxicity of bear and seal liver. Biochemical Journal 37:166­68.

Russell, F. E. 1967. Vitamin A content of polar bear liver. Toxicon 5:61­62 PMID 6036254

Russell, F. E. 1967. Vitamin A content of polar bear liver. Toxicon 5:61­62

Southcott R, Chesterfield N, Lugg D. Vitamin A content in the livers of huskies and some seals from Antarctic and subantarctic regions. Med J Aust 1971; 1: 311-313. PMID 5102012

Southcott R, Chesterfield N, Lugg D. Vitamin A content in the livers of huskies and some seals from Antarctic and subantarctic regions. Med J Aust 1971; 1: 311-313.

[[Category:Depression]]