Mawson was near death when he encountered Bickerton upon his return. What had killed Mertz and nearly claimed Mawson was the dog meat. They had eaten every soft part of the dogs, including the liver. The livers of the huskies were so enriched in vitamin A that both men suffered from vitamin A poisoning. Mertz did not like the tough muscle meat and ate more of the liver than Mawson did. Hence the different fates of the two men.
