Great new article by Ron Hamilton on Chris' death

[admin]

Hi All,

Here you can read a great article written by Ron Hamilton.
It is a qualified theory on how Chris died in Alaska.

http://www.christophermccandless.info/Ronald-Hamilton/ronald-hamilton-intothewild1.html

Enjoy!
Adam

[fredmerlin]

Woah!! I love this article! Thank you, Ron Hamilton, for this, AND two very important (to me...) points made. One: your instinct initially kicking in, back when you leafed through the pages of the 'new' Into The Wild novel, and 2: you, actually, 'listening' to Chris' words in his journal. It was the seeds that were the culprit all along. This was my inital feeling, too, especially when I read his journal. 'Fault pot seeds'... We sometimes looks for things that aren't there, ignoring facts. And many facts are right there, in Chris' own words. Very telling, very chilling. Thank you for the scientific proof. It is all very interesting.

[erikhalfacre]

Wow! That's pretty incredible.

I ate some of those seeds once just to see if I would get sick at all, and I was just fine. But I also only ate a few, am a fat guy, and love orange juice, so I guess that would be expected.

It doesn't really change Chris' story much, but it's certainly something that should be included in any written material on the plants in question from now on.

[fredmerlin]

All I am taking from this article, in my opinion, is that it seems to be the CLOSEST explanation to what really happened, which we all are debating, wondering and questioning as totally curious humans. So, Erik, I would have to say you didn't eat enough, as you said yourself. Or, possibly the TIME these seeds were ingested has something to do with your lack of reaction. The chemical composition changes, as the plant goes through its life cycle. Also, a malnourished body would be far more susceptible to injury from these plant toxins, especially if ingested over and over again, or in a large quantity at once. People's opinions are not going to change here, but listening to your instincts, and 'hearing' Chris through his journal are what I see as coming closer to Truth.

[Anewanddifferentsun]

This is definitely a well-written article based upon some very interesting research findings that, if supported by peer review, could explain Chris's death.
It's true that Chris wrote on Aug. 5 he was in "weakest condition of life, death looms as serious threat. Too weak to walk out, have literally become trapped in the wild - no game."
But he also indicates that on Aug. 9 he shot at a bear but missed. The following day, he saw a caribou but didn't get a shot off, but he did shoot 5 squirrels. On Aug. 11 he shot and ate one ptarmigan, and on Aug. 12 he went out foraging for berries. Keep in mind the "no game" comment. Unless a bunch of these animals sauntered up to the bus, it is clear he wasn't paralyzed. It's also undeniable he was extremely weak, but this is a condition easily attributed to simple starvation. I'm not dismissing it was a combination of starvation and ODAC, but there is evidence - Chris's own words - that he wasn't paralyzed.

[fredmerlin]

Thank You, Anewanddifferentsun! I suppose that was all I was contemplating....a combination of starvation and ODAC. Yes, Chris was still mobile to a point, but the reference to 'injury', and that entry on Day 100: 'Made It!' This entry suggests he had a bout with illness. I cannot get past the entry 'Fault pot seeds'. It struck me when I first read it. Many people know their minds and bodies, instinct, if you will. The story is there. Mr. Hamilton's article does state scientific evidence that there may have been other elements at play. Quite an extensive report. If I recall correctly, also, there is a possibility that the ODAC was just setting in, after ingesting the SEEDS, not root of the wild potatoe.

[GoNorth]

Thank you for the article. It's really an interesting theory, and who knows, maybe it contains some truth for Chris's case. However I don't understand why the author seems to be so certain that CM did actually have lathyrism. I rather agree with Anewanddifferentsun: many facts indicate that CM could not be paralyzed during the last weeks of his life.
Ok, maybe he really got some of that bad stuff that weakened him even more, but I still believe that the main reason for his death was starvation.

[erikhalfacre]

The fact that he was standing in his farewell photo, left a SOS note that indicated he was somewhere other than the bus, and his records of shooting animals indicate that he was not entirely paralyzed. If it can be scientifically proven that the plants in question contain high amounts of ODAC, and Chris wrote that he had ingested them and they had made him sick, in addition to indicating an unnamed 'injury,' it seems pretty clear that the plant would have some roll in his weakened condition. How much is a matter of speculation that we'll never really be able to prove one way or another at this point, since we don't really know just how much he ate, and we know that starvation will weaken and kill you on and of its own. We'll also never know whether if he had been just a bit stronger, he might have chosen to brave the river, or hike further along its banks in search of the park road, or a better crossing point, or may have stumbled on the trolley line. It's really not knowable, but it is interesting to think about.

That's why I said I don't really think it changes his story much. It is still a fascinating discovery to me though, and I'm glad someone caught it.