The Anti-Targ Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Blame it on the chicken dinner: https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/alexander-great-cold-case-solved Quote The contentious cold case of Alexander the Great may have been solved with a bit of Dunedin medical expertise. Katherine Hall published an article in the The Ancient History Bulletin arguing the ancient conqueror died of neurological disorder Guillain-Barre Syndrome. It counters theories pointing to infections, alcoholism or poisoning. The neurological disorder is an autoimmune disease often caused by campylobacter. [This is where the chicken dinner comes in] Dr Hall researched for six months using ancient sources and medical literature to make the argument airtight. The theory seemed to answer questions of why ancient reports said Alexander's body did not decay for six days after his death. This could be because he was not yet dead, but in a coma caused by the condition. Her theory would explain his other symptoms such as a fever, abdominal pain, a progressive ascending paralysis and remaining mentally sound until just before his death. It was the first time the theory had been properly investigated, she said. ''It was casually proposed and dismissed in a 1978 paper and never taken up seriously by anyone else.'' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meera of Tarth Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fragile Bird Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 A family friend died of Guillain-Barre, so this is quite interesting to me as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 I had no idea this disease can be caused by campylobacter infection. That kind of gives the joke about eating bad chicken a much more serious spin. Though often people blame the chicken they had the night before, but if it is campylobacteriosis you have, then it has an incubation period of 5-10 days, so it's never last night's chicken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbigski Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Quote Dr Hall researched for six months using ancient sources and medical literature to make the argument airtight. well if an Otago Daily Times reporter says it's air tight then case closed. Would have been interested to see more details but you've got to trust reporters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jace, Extat Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 The doctor in Oliver Stone's awful biopic mentions "no cold chicken" when Jared Leto gets sick. Conclusion: Oliver Stone poisoned Alexander with cold chicken juice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S John Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 I still prefer the raging alcoholic theory. As well as eventually making him dead, wouldn’t be unusual for it to amplify megalomania on the long road there, and Alexander def. had a case of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jace, Extat Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 3 minutes ago, S John said: I still prefer the raging alcoholic theory. As well as eventually making him dead, wouldn’t be unusual for it to amplify megalomania on the long road there, and Alexander def. had a case of that. And he took an awful chest wound leaving India that almost certainly reduced his vitality. Throw that in to the massive alcoholism, likely a questionable diet, and his paranoid megalomania leaves you with any number of CoD's which are probably all linked. Coulda been liver failure, coulda been respiratory failure, a stroke or heart attack brought on by elevated blood pressure that took a few days to finish him off. Guy like Alexander probably would have lived into his fifties if he didn't get busted up in the field with what was surely a strong constitution and what passed for medical care in the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoodedCrow Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 I read that he may also have had malaria as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Anti-Targ Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 8 hours ago, mcbigski said: well if an Otago Daily Times reporter says it's air tight then case closed. Would have been interested to see more details but you've got to trust reporters. You could try to get access to the source article in the Ancient History Bulletin for more detail. So you don't have to trust the reporter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Tiger Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 11 hours ago, mcbigski said: well if an Otago Daily Times reporter says it's air tight then case closed. Would have been interested to see more details but you've got to trust reporters. Oh man, I laughed way too hard a this. The combination of the post and your av. Thanks for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Winter Rose Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Interesting. I'm all for controversial & interesting old historical stories to be investigated again. Within reason, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbigski Posted January 26, 2019 Share Posted January 26, 2019 On 1/24/2019 at 10:16 AM, Red Tiger said: Oh man, I laughed way too hard a this. The combination of the post and your av. Thanks for that. I missed something here. My Av is just me in my natural doggedly handsome glory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isis Posted January 26, 2019 Share Posted January 26, 2019 I'm sticking with West Nile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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