Hello. As I mentioned in my post below, the book I recently read by McGoogan actually discusses this. There is the theory that the lead poisoning (contracted from the food) may not have directly killed the men, but lead to disorientation and irritability that caused the men to be lost after escaping the boats that were stopped in the ice. Scurvy also played an important factor in the death toll as well as cannibalism (this shocked proper British society at the time when John Rae suggested this).
Yes! You may very well be right. In just a cursory glance, it is now being said that the lead poisoning came not from the canned foods but the water supply. (In my humble opinion, probably both!) Scurvy was one of the most prevalent and easily treatable diseases, I think.
I don’t post photos but if you do, can you find the photo of the preserved corpse of one of the sailors - he has long blond hair. He apparently died a violent and terrible death, may God bless him. (If you can’t don’t worry about it!!!)