Antimony?

"I think it's antimony poisoning," you say. "Doctors commonly used antimony in those days to treat a fever."

"Except," Claudia says, "the symptoms aren't right. Anemia, righto. But doesn't antimony poisoning cause scaly spots on the skin? The people in the ice all had normal skin."

"Also, if he was giving antimony for fever, why did some of the fever victims live then, eh?" William adds.

"But I do believe you're very close to the answer," Claudia goes on. William says thoughtfully, "I believe you're right." He is peering at his piece of paper.

"You keep jotting on that," she observes. "Are you ever going to twig us what it's about?"

"It's a chart," William says. "A chart of the mystery." He lays it on the table, and you and Claudia crowd around him for a look.

An Access Excellence Science Mystery sponsored by Genentech, Inc.
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