Those with vested interests in the continued status quo of deviations from and corruption of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings and divine intentions for ISKCON, have, since 1997, denied and covered up the massive and convincing evidence that Srila Prabhupada was homicidally poisoned by his caretakers in 1977 and that ISKCON was hijacked by a gurocracy under cover of a guru appointment hoax. These dishonest and ill-motivated persons have tried to discredit the cadmium poisoning evidence with illogical, unscientific insinuations that are intended to create doubts and confusion rather than clarify history or facts.
These “poisoning-denier” persons typically argue the following:
1. Hair analysis is not a reliable science so Dr. Morris’ MURR hair tests are inconclusive. FACT: Hair analysis is a valid, widely accepted and accurate scientific method.
2. The chain of custody of the MURR tested hair samples is questionable. FACT: At every step of the chain of custody of the MURR hair samples, the ISKCON GBC had control and oversight, and the transfer of samples from U. Wisc. To MURR was done directly by Fedex.
3. MURR does not know how to do proper NAA hair testing. FACT: MURR is a world-class NAA testing facility that is fully trusted and capable of very accurate NAA tests.
4. Cadmium is not an historical nor suitable method of homicidal poisoning. FACT: Cadmium salts are a camouflage poison and have been used often in political assassinations.
5. No one around Srila Prabhupada in 1976-77 could possibly be a poisoner. FACT: Srila Prabhupada was homicidally poisoned, regardless by whom, which is a secondary issue.
6. Lord Krishna would protect His pure devotee from being poisoned. FACT: Christ was crucified, Prahlad and Mirabai were poisoned, this is a philosophical discussion.
7. The poisoning theory is contrived by ritviks, envious and anti-ISKCON persons. FACT: Whoever subscribes to the facts, the facts are still facts.
8. When Srila Prabhupada spoke of being poisoned, it was his paranoia and senility. FACT: This is offensive to the pure devotee, and does not change the hair test results.
9. Srila Prabhupada was tired of the pain and suffering of his health decline and asked for “medicine to die now.” FACT: This is Tamal’s narrative that has never been explained, it is not on tape, and it is a ludicrous idea to commit suicide with cadmium anyway.
10. Abhirama and others were present in 1977 and saw no signs of poisoning. FACT: The poisoning was not witnessed by others, and this does not negate the hair test results.
11. ISKCON leaders and even those suspected of the poisoning can be trusted when they supposedly investigated the poison theory and found zero evidence that it was true. FACT: The ISKCON GBC has a history of corruption and cover-ups, including of their child abuse. Research of scientific literatures and hair test studies has led to definition of FIVE levels of cadmium toxicity as related to Srila Prabhupada’s case.
ONE: NORMAL UNEXPOSED HAIR CADMIUM LEVELS
NORMAL SOCIETAL HAIR CADMIUM LEVELS (UNEXPOSED PERSONS): 0.064 ppm
The normal average levels (NAL) of hair cadmium in human society is about 0.064 ppm, derived from thorough research and the 19 studies below, which ascertain an “average normal” hair cadmium level in unexposed persons to be about 1/16th of one ppm. There are variations due to lifestyle, environment, nearby industries. Normal levels have no adverse effect on human health, regardless of age, short-term, mid-term, or long-term.
NORMAL, UNEXPOSED SUBJECT CADMIUM STUDIES:
(1) Laurie Miller, Center for Disease Control (CDC), has a thick manual on cadmium poisoning, putting average normal hair cadmium at 0.07 ppm (Sharma, et al, 1982).
(2) Analytical Research Laboratories, Phoenix, AZ disclosed that their approx. one million clients’ hair analyses averaged at about 0.06 ppm (0.02-0.10 ppm). (3) Dr. J. R. Montonte of Trace Minerals International in Cleveland uses a normal for hair cadmium at 0.10 ppm. (4) Dr. Max Sutton, Hill Laboratories, CA uses a reference range for cadmium in hair of 0.0-0.15 ppm (average 0.075 ppm). (5) A 1994 study by Wolfsperger M, et al of 79 healthy adults in Vienna & Rome found an average of 0.038 ppm cadmium in non-smoker’s hair (about double for smokers).
(6) 1999 study, Liu XJ (Japan) compared hair cadmium of 0.109 ppm in residents of a cadmium polluted area in 1979 to 0.055 ppm levels in 1999 after soil cleanup replacement.
(7) A study in 1988 by Wilhelm M, et al in Germany of school children in different areas found hair cadmium levels ranging 0.0637-0.1161 ppm (average 0.0745 ppm).
(8) A 1990 study by Wilhelm M, et al at Germany’s Institute of Toxicology measured normal cadmium hair levels at 0.060–0.085 ppm (average 0.072 ppm).
(9) A study in 1991 by Wilhelm M, et al in Germany found young children to have an average of 0.09 ppm hair cadmium in their hair.
(10) A 2003 study by Benes B, Sladka J, et al in Czech Republic measured cadmium levels in the hair of 3556 children. The medium amount of cadmium was 0.14 ppm.
(11) A study in 2003 in Slovenia by Erzen I, et al measured the median cadmium content in the hair of 245 random young men to be only 0.004 ppm.
(12) A study in 1994 by Wilhelm M, et al in Germany found 0.111 ppm hair cadmium in a control group of children. (13) A Spain 1991 hair cadmium study by Bosque MA, et al of 226 children compared average results from an industrial area (0.327 ppm) with a rural area of 0.002 ppm.
(14) A study of 5846 healthy Japanese showed average cadmium in both men and women to be 0.028 ppm (Yoshikazu, Yoshio, 2005).
(15) The hair cadmium reference value for Italy is 0.03 ppm (2012, Abdulrahman)
(16) The hair cadmium reference value, England is 0.11 ppm. (2012, Abdulrahman)
(17) The hair cadmium reference value for Japan is 0.05 ppm. (2012, Abdulrahman)
(18) Cadmium levels in the hair of elderly Koreans was found to be on average 0.052 ppm (Kim M, Kim K, 2011) (19) A 2016 study in China showed a mean of 0.062 ppm (Zhou T, et al). The average of these 19 studies is 0.064 ppm cadmium in hair, the societal norm.
TWO: ABNORMAL-EXPOSED LEVELS OF HAIR CADMIUM (AEL)
CADMIUM STUDIES OF EXPOSED PERSONS (USUALLY NOT LETHAL)
Below are 12 studies of abnormally exposed subjects (from environmental, industrial, or occupational contaminated situations).
(1) A 1989 study by Bergomi M, Borella P, et al in Italy of 142 children in an industrial area found average hair cadmium of 0.17 ppm
(2) A 1994 study by Muller M, Anke M noted that a German factory had extensive cadmium emissions since 1960, resulting in the local residents having high hair cadmium levels averaging 0.389 ppm.
(3) A 1995 study, Chlopicka J, et al, Poland studied children in industrial areas, finding average hair cadmium levels of 0.43 ppm.
(4) A 1996 study by Kasnia-Kocot J, et al in Poland examined the hair cadmium levels of 69 children living in “the most polluted district” of Chorzow, finding average levels of 0.44 ppm in girls.
(5) …and 0.91 ppm in boys.
(6) A 1996 study by Zaborowska W, et al in Poland found 0.31 ppm of hair cadmium in 157 children, including those living in high exposure areas.
(7) A 1997 study by Zaborowska W, et al in Poland found 0.37 ppm hair cadmium in another group of exposed school children.
(8) A 1998 study by Chlopicka J, et al in Poland found 0.91 ppm hair cadmium in children from a highly industrialized and contaminated area.
(9) A 1991 hair cadmium study by Bosque MA, et al in Spain of 226 children from an industrial area had 0.327 ppm.
(10) A study in 1994 by Wilhelm M, et al found 0.265 ppm in a group of German children who had high cadmium exposure.
(11) A 1999 study by Liu XJ in Japan compared hair cadmium of 0.109 ppm in residents of a cadmium polluted area to lower levels of 0.055 ppm after environmental cleanup by soil replacement.
(12) (www.webhart.net): “Cadmium in hair exceeding 1 ppm is cause for concern.”
CADMIUM: AVERAGE OF 12 EXPOSED STUDIES: 0.387 ppm
These studies of hair cadmium in persons environmentally or occupationally exposed show that even where there are highly abnormal conditions due to environment or industry, occupation, etc, still the average exposed hair cadmium levels will be only 0.387 ppm, still a fraction of one ppm, or about 6 times more than normal (compared to Srila Prabhupada’s 250X normal levels, which is FORTY times more than the average exposed person.)
HOW THE UNEXPOSED AND EXPOSED SCIENTIFIC STUDIES WERE SELECTED
There are some studies which include what are called “outliers” that result in misleading ranges and averages for cadmium and arsenic hair levels. Therefore, studies were selected that did not have obvious outlier values, to arrive at a more accurate average normal in human hair (namely 0.064 ppm cadmium). When there are range highs many times above the average, that high end value is not average or normal. It means that among those selected in a study, one or two are unexpectedly abnormal. In statistics, this phenomenon is called “outliers.” Scientific studies may include “outliers” that result in misleading ranges and averages for hair levels. The abnormal, higher than the average range highs seen in some studies are not average or normal.
Outliers and distribution irregularities are often problematic in scientific studies. Sometimes legitimate corrections are made via truncations. However, we did not make any corrective adjustments. We simply chose relevant studies without obvious outliers. Careful avoidance of studies with obvious outliers is warranted; such studies can be misleading. Science has found that normal in heavy metals is close to zero. To select studies without extreme outliers actually gives is a more accurate “normal.”
THREE: LETHAL HAIR CADMIUM LEVELS (LHCL)
LETHALITY AND MORBIDITY FROM SCIENTIFIC STUDIES
Cadmium poisonings (and deaths from it) are relatively rare. Although many studies on cadmium have been done since the 1950’s, the relationship between dose and health effects is still being refined. The paucity of clinical cases of serious cadmium poisoning (chronic or acute) has largely restricted the scientific record to animal studies and neutral to mild cases of exposure in human society.
Nevertheless, the body of scientific literature does provide ample knowledge of cadmium’s toxicity to indicate the lethality and morbidity of high cadmium levels. No studies were found to explicitly indicate what a lethal cadmium level in hair might be, and the same is true for other heavy metals. There is no scientific demand for this kind of information and such a data point must be inferred from existing studies.
(1) OSHA: “Cadmium is extremely poisonous and toxic at extremely low levels, and thus tests may miss its detection… even amounts of cadmium dust in occupational situations previously thought safe are now shown to cause kidney disease.” Cadmium is now known to be much more poisonous than previously believed, and OSHA has issued much more stringent restrictions on cadmium pollution.
(2) “Chronic cadmium poisoning from the consumption of food occurred in the 1950s in cadmium-polluted areas in Japan. Almost 200 cases, mainly postmenopausal women, have been reported with itai-itai disease, exhibiting symptoms of disturbed calcium metabolism, osteoporosis, and osteomalacia. Cadmium levels in unpolished rice from the contaminated
regions were ≥ 0.3 mg/kg [over 0.3 ppm].” (Sciencedirect.com).
(3) “Persons who have sustained kidney damage due to chronic cadmium exposure often have blood or urine cadmium levels in a range of 25-50 μg/L or 25-75 μg/g creatinine, respectively [or 0.025-0.075 ppm]. These ranges are usually 1000-3000 μg/L and 100-400 μg/g [or 0.4 ppm], respectively, in survivors of acute poisoning and may be substantially higher in fatal cases.” (Wikipedia).
(4) A blood cadmium level above 7 ppbillion (0.007 ppm) is significant exposure.
(5) Cadmium is twice as toxic than arsenic. A hair level of 5 ppm arsenic can lead to a fatal chronic poisoning, and thus a cadmium level of about half that would be also.
(6) The village of Ergates in Cyprus lies downwind from a cadmium foundry, resulting in 150-300% the national average of brain, kidney, pancreas, lung, and leukemia cancers amongst the residents. Blood cadmium levels were 5 X the norm.
(7) Kidney dysfunction is associated with 10-200 times normal cadmium concentrations accumulated in the liver and kidneys.
(8) Average cadmium in US food is 0.002-0.040 ppm; in most drinking water it’s below 0.001 ppm.
(9) The EPA has reduced allowable cadmium in drinking water to a maximum of 0.05 ppm and the FDA restricts cadmium in food coloring.
(10) A study in 2001 by T Osawa et al on the relation between cadmium in rice and kidney dysfunction found that the maximum allowable amount of cadmium in rice before adverse health effects became visible was 0.05-0.2 ppm. High cadmium in rice resulted in kidney dysfunction after a short time.
(11) A study by Yao-Min Hung et al in 2004 of a self-poisoning case stated that ingestion of >100 mg of soluble cadmium salts can be lethal. Another study says 30-40 mg.
CONCLUSION: Depending on age, health, gender, and other variables, lethal cadmium levels start at about 5 ppm or less in hair, which is 12-15 X higher than those seriously exposed occupationally or environmentally, as compared to the lethality of arsenic at 5 ppm with arsenic twice as toxic than cadmium.
FOUR: SRILA PRABHUPADA’S LETHAL CADMIUM LEVELS (SPLCL)
MURR/DR. JS MORRIS REPORT ON SIX NAA HAIR SAMPLE TESTS 2002-05
As seen in the 2015 MURR report below, Srila Prabhupada’s 1977 cadmium levels in hair Samples D, A, and Q-2 (12.4, 14.6, and 19.9 ppm) is an average 15.73 ppm, and is so far above what is seen in normal hair, blood, urine, and even in contaminated food, soil, waste dumps, as to be lethal as an extreme and deadly level.
SRILA PRABHUPADA’S CADMIUM LEVELS WERE LETHAL
(1) Sustained over 10 months through 1977, Srila Prabhupada had an average 250 times over the normal of hair cadmium. And, cadmium levels in vegetarians are significantly lower (Gonzalez-Reimers, 2014).
(2) Srila Prabhupada (15.73 ppm cadmium) had 40 times more than those exposed to serious environmental or occupational contamination, who in turn had average 6 times more than normal. Exposed persons with average 0.387 ppm became ill or died over the course of years. Poisoning at 15.73 ppm over a year or so would be lethal to anyone.
(3) Srila Prabhupada’s cadmium level was not due to factory or environmental contamination. No study or report could be found of anyone having hair cadmium levels above 4 ppm or even close to 15.73 ppm. The expert opinions below state these levels are off the “chart.” It is amazing Srila Prabhupada lived for so many months with such levels.
(4) Srila Prabhupada’s cadmium poisoning was extreme. As per the scientific research below, this is a lethal amount over a short period of time.
(5) Sample D was cut in early March 1977, and represents about 4 weeks hair growth (early Feb. to early March 1977), a time when the average cadmium level was 19.9 ppm.
(6) Hairclipper Samples A and Q-2 were a mix of hair from many cuttings from mid-Nov. 1976 to early Sept. 1977, and show an average of 13.65 ppm cadmium (10 months).
(7) Samples A, D, and Q-2 were an average of 250 times normal cadmium s levels.
(8) The dramatic health attack was on Feb. 26, 1977, reflected in Sample D, is obviously a poisoning incident. There is no way to acquire these cadmium levels by environmental pollution, accidental exposure, or occupational hazard.
(9) From the cadmium levels seen in exposed persons (above: 0.387 ppm), in government restrictions, and in safe water and food, clearly 15.73 ppm is extremely unhealthy and lethal, especially as it was sustained over 10 to 18 months.
(10) A blood cadmium level above 0.007 ppm is significant exposure.
(11) Cadmium is twice as toxic than arsenic. A hair level of 5 ppm arsenic can lead to a fatal chronic poisoning, and thus a cadmium level of about half that would be also.
(12) The industrially exposed villagers of Ergates, Cyprus who had 150-300% the national average of brain, kidney, pancreas, lung, and leukemia cancers had blood cadmium levels 5 X the norm. This corresponds to about 5 X the norm in hair cadmium, so Srila Prabhupada’s would have been 50 times as ill as these villagers, quite clearly lethal.
(13) Srila Prabhupada had 4 times the cadmium levels in the worst USA waste dump.
(14) If 0.3 ppm in rice caused 200 deaths and extreme illnesses in the Itai Itai Japan cadmium debacle, then what of Srila Prabhupada’s 15.73 ppm levels?
(15) Even in areas of heavy industrial and environmental cadmium pollution, as in southern Poland, exposed persons only had roughly 1/70th of what Srila Prabhupada had. This shows Srila Prabhupada’s poisoning severity, which was not accidental, but deliberate.
(16) Even amounts of cadmium dust in occupational situations previously thought safe are now shown to cause kidney disease.
(17) Srila Prabhupada’s cadmium levels were far above what would cause terminal kidney disease and kidney failure within a year’s time.
(18) Srila Prabhupada’s hair had 16,000 X more cadmium than in most of the world’s drinking water and 400 X more cadmium than the maximum EPA limit allowable in drinking water.
(19) “…even less than a milligram of cadmium salt may be enough to produce fatal toxicity.” Clinical Chemistry (2011) p. 1488.
(20) Henry Lee Lucas, a Texas serial killer, was subjected to medical tests in 1985 to study his criminal nature. Dr. Walsh analyzed locks of his hair. “His cadmium concentration is more than 30 times the population median value, and is the highest level we have ever observed in a human being out of thousands tested,” says Walsh. Srila Prabhupada had 8 times as much as that, a clear indication of lethality.
(21) No studies were found with living subjects’s hair having anywhere near 16 ppm.
(22) EXPERT OPINION: DR. HUDSON, Forensic Pathologist: The former North Carolina Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Page Hudson, Jr. was a forensic pathologist teaching at East Carolina University. He specialized in solving heavy metal poison murders in North Carolina. His work had been detailed in several popular books about arsenic poisonings. Dr.Hudson was sent a description of Srila Prabupada’s 1977 illness and symptoms with the test results on Samples A and D, and asked for his insights and comments on the hair tests, Srila Prabhupada’s medical symptoms, and cadmium toxicity.
“I suggest Medical Toxicology: Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning, 1988, by Ellerhorn/ Barceloux. […] but they are remarkably few who possess expertise with this material.” Based on his professional and medical experience, he opined: “One ppm is considered a rather hefty load of cadmium. About 20 ppm is distinctly abnormal. Wasting, kidney disease, and the spillage of sugar are certainly consistent with cadmium toxicity, but unfortunately are common with many other conditions and diseases… It appears to me that if the cadmium concentration is correct, the exposures to the material must have been small and over a period of months. To administer intentionally this poison in this fashion would call for amazing subtlety and patience. […] But the cadmium may have done irrecoverable damage months before death and all subsequent hair growth may have been drawing from the body pool of cadmium – without new exposures.”
(23) EXPERT OPINION: DR. ANIL AGGARWAL: Dr. Anil Aggarwal is a Forensic Toxicologist in New Delhi and a professor of Forensic Medicine at Maulana Azad Medical College since 1985, specializing in solving mysterious deaths as a poisons expert. His website chronicles many bizarre cases he solved, including one of acute cadmium poisoning. Dr. Aggarwal also maintains an Internet Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology and an Internet Journal of Book Reviews. He was sent a medical symptoms summary and the cadmium findings in hair tests, providing the initial report from Dr.Morris for Samples A and D in 2002. A team member went to see Dr. Aggarwal in person in May 2002 for meetings. […] Dr. Aggarwal rendered his professional opinion: “Cadmium 20 ppm in hair is prima facie evidence of poisoning with malicious intent.”
(24) EXPERT OPINION: DR. DIPANKAR CHAKRABORTI: In 2002 Dr. Dipankar Chakraborti was Director Of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University, India and at the head of the arsenic crisis in Bengal, imminently qualified in all heavy metals poisoning and hair analysis. He was interviewed in April 2002. Asked the significance of a 20 ppm hair cadmium level, he replied “He will be finished. He can’t survive more than 3 or 4 days.” Yet Srila Prabhupada survived with such high cadmium levels for ten months – only, we surmise, by the will of the Lord and due to mystic yoga perfections. He wrote a searing report (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) on the arsenic in water crisis in India in 2018 that affects 500 million and 19% of India’s population drinks water with arsenic levels lethal over time.
(25) EXPERT OPINION: DR. AMARES CHATT: In 1998 Dr. Amares Chatt at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada tested one hair sample (ND-1) by neutron activation analysis, although his facility has lesser accuracy on very small mass samples than at MURR. He authored a book, Hair Analysis. Dr. Chatt remarked on Srila Prabhupada’s 20 ppm cadmium found by his friend and colleague Dr. Morris: “The level of 20 ppm seems to be very high if external contamination is ruled out. I have done thousands of hair tests over many years and sometimes see at most 2 ppm cadmium.” He asked if any kinds of shampoos, creams, etc might have externally contaminated the hair, to which he was told: “None of these things were used.”
(26) EXPERT OPINION: ARL LABS, PHOENIX, ARIZONA (www.arltma.com) Analytical Research Labs does commercial hair analyses for individuals, doctors, and medical clinics. It is a clinical medical laboratory for tests on clinical specimens to derive information about the health of a patient as pertains to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. ARL is one of the largest such outfits in the US and has a very professional and respected performance rating. As of 2003, they were doing 35K hair tests annually; as of 2020 they were in operation 40 years. President Kenneth Paul Eck (son of ARL founder, his father, right) was interviewed in 2004.
He disclosed these facts derived from their hair mineral analysis operation:
(1) They rarely see cadmium levels over 1 ppm.
(2) That the usual range was from 0.02-0.10 ppm (average 0.06 ppm).
(3) That: “20 ppm was off the chart.”
(4) Russ Madarash, ARL’s head chemist, also confirmed:
(a) Cadmium values are usually under 0.10 ppm.
(b) Their “red alert level” is 2 ppm, which would require a second test to verify such an elevated amount
(c) The highest value that he remembered was 4 ppm.
After 40 years of operation, in about a million tests, one ARL client had 4 ppm hair cadmium, while no one had Srila Prabhupada’s hair levels, which were “off the chart.”
PATHOLOGY & TOXICITY
Various studies provided a general overview of cadmium’s extreme and widespread destructiveness to the body, giving some idea of what it does, to its unfortunate victims.
(1) Unlike other toxic heavy metals, ingested cadmium is primarily cumulative; since body excretion is so slow, limited to maximum 2 micrograms/day, regardless of the amount ingested, so ingested amounts greater than bodily excretion rates will accumulate in the body until a fatal threshold is reached. Chronic poisoning with arsenic (which is quickly excreted) requires regular doses, whereas poisoning by cadmium, being cumulative and with a half-life of 17-30 years, can become fatal quickly even with small doses.
(2) Cadmium is so poisonous that even 10 mg ingested has caused severe toxic symptoms. (Rumack BH: Poisindex Information System) A lethal dose is about 0.5 grain (or 30-40 mg, or 0.035 gm, or 0.001235 oz- the weight of a small postage stamp.
(3) Cadmium is a general metabolic poison and competes/replaces zinc, disrupting essential biological processes. It is primarily deposited in the kidneys and liver, with a very limited amount being carried by the blood and excreted through the urine. Since the amount of cadmium deposited in hair depends on the blood level of cadmium, hair cadmium is like the tip of the iceberg as to the actual total body burden.
(4) A 2000 study in Belgium by MK Viaene et al stated that “animal studies have shown cadmium is a potent neurotoxicant.”
(5) The target organ for cadmium toxicity via oral exposure is the kidney. Cadmium causes irreversible renal tubular damage, which progresses into complete Fanconi syndrome with decreased tubular reabsorption of proteins, glucose, amino acids, calcium, and phosphorus, with decreased ability to acidify or concentrate the urine.
(6) Renal tubular dysfunction and proteinuria (in kidneys) results in overall physical deterioration. Rather than assimilate nutrients, minerals and protein, the kidneys allow them to pass out with urine, with whatever stores are in reserve. Leaching due to cadmium poisoning (protein, sugar spilled in the urine) denies the victim any sustenance with progressive malnutrition, starvation, indigestion, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, etc. (Exactly Srila Prabhupada’s condition).
(7) Cadmium poisoning is irreversible; there is only mediocre chelation therapy and no antidote. Cadmium has no known beneficial effect on the human physiology.
(8) Daily cadmium excretion is about 0.01% of the total body burden. Cadmium’s half-life in the blood is 3-4 months which is deposited in the hair as it grows.
(9) Cadmium is present only in tiny trace amounts in the environment.
(10) Normal cadmium concentrations in the adult kidney cortex are about 50 ppm and when it reaches 200 ppm a critical threshold is reached, causing serious kidney disease/ dysfunction /failure develops. (Exactly Srila Prabhupada’s condition)
(11) Cadmium’s debilitating effects continue after exposure ends; once sufficient cadmium is chronically ingested, death follows from disease progression.
(12) Long-term chronic cadmium poisoning results in various bone and prostate diseases, and lung cancer. The liver and cardio-vascular system are also adversely affected.
(13) Cadmium intake is distributed widely in the body but accumulates mostly in the liver, kidneys. It binds to protein and non-protein sulfhydryl groups and macro-molecules e.g., metallothionen, effecting especially the liver, kidneys.
(14) Because the toxic effects of cadmium are a function of a critical concentration being attained in the kidneys, similar effects will occur following long-term poisoning at low levels, or short-term poisoning at high levels.
(15) Breathing difficulties, emphysema develop even 10 years later at chronic levels.
(16) The IARC regards cadmium as cancer-causing due to chromosomal aberrations in the blood lymphocytes and lesions in the central nervous system, liver/kidneys, causing blood disorder eosinophilia.
(17) Cadmium is one of most dangerous environmental nephrotoxic agents, causing hearing/eyesight loss, kidney stones, decreased bone density, alters calcium metabolism. Cadmium interferes with the basic chemical processes that sustain life.
(18) Kidney dysfunction and damage are the most prominent findings after long-term exposure to lower levels of cadmium via polluted food. As kidney dysfunction progresses, amino acids, glucose, minerals (calcium and phosphorus), are lost into the urine. Kidney stones are frequently reported by cadmium workers. Severe cases may develop uremia. Studies have shown irreversible glomerular dysfunction. Cadmium kidney damage is irreversible and disease progression continues even after exposure has ceased.
A MALICIOUS, HOMICIDAL POISONING
Srila Prabhupada was in good, strong health. He had minor health problems but he was literally superhuman in endurance, outdoing his youthful students. In mid-1976 his health mysteriously began to decline, and many doctors could not find the cause. There were as many misdiagnoses as there were doctors! Now we know his health was afflicted by chronic cadmium
poisoning punctuated by sub-acute episodes. Hair tests and medical history reveals an insidious poisoning by difficult to detect cadmium, the effects of which resemble diabetes and kidney disease symptoms. Administration of many low doses over many months was punctuated with periodic more potent “surprise” doses, resulting in the rejection of all doctors and medicines. Chronic cadmium or arsenic poisoning resembles old age, arousing little suspicion. It is a state of chronic invalidism and starvation. Srila Prabhupada suffered a severe cadmium poisoning of virtually unprecedented, catastrophic proportions. There was a distinct methodology for this homicidal cadmium poisoning.
METHODOLOGY
The cadmium poisoning was a prolonged ingestion of small amounts of cadmium with insidious, hidden, deadly effects, then sometimes punctuated with heavier or more acute doses. The hair tests show that the poisoning was chronic over a period of 10 months; Srila Prabhupada’s medical history indicates up to 18 months. Hair tests confirm massive cadmium poisoning and medical symptoms indicate a start in July 1976. Knowledge of poisoning methodologies has always been available. Srila Prabhupada’s poisoners had to be “very close” to administer periodic doses. Caretakers were the only ones with access to carry out a secretive tainting of food or drink which Srila Prabhupada then ingested. Since it was not a one-time poisoning, with the hair tests and physical symptom history showing a chronic poisoning, the poisoners would need regular access to Srila Prabhupada, and this points to Srila Prabhupada’s caretakers.
Cadmium would produce the slow health debilitation and starvation syndrome found in Srila Prabhupada’s health history. A “cosmetic” poisoning of small doses would result in a feeling of malaise and a reduction in the body’s general strength. Between the first two major episodes of July 20, 1976 and Feb. 26, 1977, Srila Prabhupada partially recovered. Srila Prabhupada’s health history and symptoms fits well with cadmium poisoning.
CADMIUM SALTS
How could cadmium have been introduced into Srila Prabhupada’s physical body? Toxicology of the Eye by WM Grant (1974) states: “Ingestion of cadmium salts has caused severe and sometimes fatal poisoning.” Cadmium salts are very suitable for homicidal poisoning. Likely used was one of the widely available, common, inorganic cadmium salt compounds such as cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 ), which is very soluble in water, has no taste, color or odor, and is a white crystalline powder.
It could easily mix into Srila Prabhupada’s salt, sugar, or food supplements. Cadmium sulphide is used as yellow and red plastic pigments. Cadmium chloride is a fungicide, ingredient in electroplating, colorant for pyrotechnics, tinning solution additive, and mordant in dyeing and printing textiles. Cadmium oxide is an electroplating agent and used in silver alloys, phosphors, semiconductors and glass.
AVENUES FOR ADMINISTERING CADMIUM POISON
The form of cadmium most likely used would be a crystalline cadmium salt and not pure cadmium metal, which is not colorless, tasteless, or water soluble. Some avenues how cadmium could have been given to Srila Prabhupada for oral ingestion by tainting any of his exclusive, regularly used personal ingredients. Most likely avenues are:
(1) Sprinkled on top of food (indicated by Bhakta Vatsala das)
(2) Sprinkled in milk, water, or fruit juice (readily dissolvable)
(3) Mixed in his kitchen’s sugar or salt jar
(4) Mixed in his tooth powder.
A sprinkle or pinch of colorless, tasteless, and odorless cadmium salt crystals, such as what might fit on the very tip of a key, would be unnoticed and could produce another serious downturn in health. No one else dared to use Srila Prabhupada’s personal items, so an insider could secretly taint any of those items. Then periodically a more acute dose would be administered, e.g., July 20, 1976, and Feb. 26, May 16, Sept. 8, 1977.
Cadmium could easily be mixed with food, salt, drinks, etc. Mustard seed oil was used in daily massages, so was cadmium in the massage oil? No, as Srila Prabhupada’s masseurs would have been poisoned too. Massage oils can thus be ruled out.
FINAL DOSE THE DAY AFTER THE POISON WHISPERS
Finally, after a program of chronic poisoning had reduced Srila Prabhupada’s health to the brink of extinction by Nov. 1977, a final dose was administered, clearly indicated by the forensically confirmed, tape-recorded whispers about poisoning Nov. 11, 1977. These “poison” whispers have been repeatedly confirmed by audio experts to contain the word “poison.” The
whispers are:
(1) JPS: “Poisoning for a (long) time…”
(2) Tamal: “The poison’s going down…(Bhav: giggles) the poison’s going down”
(3) Tamal: “Is the poison in the milk?”
Bhav: Uhhuh. (Srila Prabhupada then is heard drinking milk.)
Significantly, after Srila Prabhupada said several times, “Someone has poisoned me,” (Nov. 9- 10) and his caretakers extensively discussed homicidal poisoning (Nov. 10), the next day (Nov. 11) certified poisoning whispers occur on tape recordings. This is not coincidence, as the prisoners became alarmed they had been discovered and were rushing to finish before being caught. Srila Prabhupada (whom Tamal also whispered about: “He’s as sly as they come”) was now wise to them. The caretakers, even after openly discussing homicidal poisoning on tape and acknowledging Srila Prabhupada was distressed about being poisoned, did nothing and dropped the matter, whispering about poisoning the very next day.
HOMICIDAL CADMIUM POISONING
Advanced testing by NAA of hair Samples D, A, and Q-2 with 250 X more than the average normal levels of cadmium in human hair has established and confirmed Srila Prabhupada’s homicidal cadmium poisoning. Scientific research confirms these amounts are lethal over the 10 to 18 months during which Srila Prabhupada was exposed.
Cadmium was the primary ingredient in a heavy metals cocktail that included elevated levels of arsenic and antimony, which were cadmium enhancers. But the cadmium itself was sufficient to cause rapidly declining health and premature death.
These levels accelerate, exacerbate any existing kidney disease and diabetes, entirely consistent with Srila Prabhupada’s surprise health decline in 1976-1977 (Part 4). The evidence overwhelmingly supports a homicidal cadmium poisoning.
CHRONIC INVALIDISM, CHRONIC STARVATION
Chronic cadmium or arsenic poisoning causes a physical condition which appears typical to old age and therefore arouses no suspicion. It is a state of chronic invalidism and chronic starvation. Biographers even wrote that Srila Prabhupada’s illness was just old age and his body wearing out. Of course, now we know it was heavy metal poisoning. The poisoners prolonged the poisoning, lest suspicions be aroused by a sudden death. It would need to look natural, entailing a frustrating, gradual, unexplainable decline of health over a year. If it appeared as anything other than a prolonged illness, then an autopsy, investigation, or serious questioning might discover the poisoning. It was also necessary to maintain Srila Prabhupada’s state of chronic invalidism until he made his will and turned over management and bank accounts to his disciples. A sudden death by poison would have left ISKCON’s assets in legal limbo.
After the kidneys become overloaded with cadmium poisoning, slow death follows with malnutrition, starvation, indigestion, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain, etc. These were Srila Prahupada’s medical symptoms, and any analysis of Srila Prabhupada’s medical condition must address the ± 16 ppm cadmium maintained for 10 to 18 months.
INSIDIOUS AND VIRTUALLY UNDETECTABLE
Arsenic, strychnine, cyanide, curare, and other poisons routinely go unrecognized, and heavy metals are even more rarely used in homicide. They are “insidious,” working harmfully in a subtle, treacherous, or stealthy manner. Cadmium is a “masquerade” poison much like arsenic, virtually undetectable. Heavy metals are usually missed by homicide investigators, physicians, coroners, and medical examiners.
CADMIUM POISONING RESEMBLES COMMON DISEASES
Whoever master-minded Srila Prabhupada’s cadmium poisoning probably knew that the resulting symptoms would closely resemble those of diabetes and kidney disease or any number of other ailments. Thus it was next to impossible to discover. Cadmium was a good choice of poison as it would be confused with Srila Prabhupada’s already existing health problems. Each poison must be specifically, individually tested for- or it will be missed. This was never done during Srila Prabhupada’s prolonged, mysterious, and persistent illness over 18 months. Only basic urine tests were done, for infections, diabetes. This was a pin-pointed, exclusive poisoning. It was an unprecedented poisoning.
FIVE: CADMIUM-TAINTED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES (CTAM)
In recent years many Ayurvedic medicines were found to have elevated levels of heavy metals which may cause health problems, and the many medicines taken by Srila Prabhupada in 1977 must have caused his high levels of cadmium. In the studies quoted by the GBC’s Bob Cohen (Sept. 2024), cadmium was found in only one modern day Ayurvedic Arbudari medicine sample at slightly above the PDE (permissible daily limit). But Srila Prabhupada did not take this medicine in 1976-77.
There is also a false assumption about Srila Prabhupada regularly taking many Ayurvedic or Allopathic medicines in 1976-77, but the historical record reflects that he actually typically refused to take all the medicines prescribed by about 40 doctors in 1977.
Srila Prabhupada took some Yogendra Ras in 1976-77, but the leftover vials of medicine were tested by Balavanta das, the GBC investigator, and they contained nothing abnormal. Srila Prabhupada took 2 or 3 doses of Ayurvedic Makharadhvaja Oct. 25-26, 1977, long after the time when he was already lethally poisoned with cadmium. The leftover Makharadhvaja taken by Srila Prabhupada was tested by the GBC in 2000 and found to have no abnormal contents.
Studies of modern-day Ayurvedic tainted medicines, post-2010 or so, decades AFTER Srila Prabhupada’s lethal poisoning, may have become tainted with impurities due to modern circumstances that did not exist in 1976-77. Modern studies on “possible health problems” caused by tainted medicines, that were not taken by Srila Prabhupada, does NOTHING to explain Srila Prabhupada’s lethal cadmium poisoning.
These modern studies on tainted Ayurvedic medicines do not qualify what health problems might be caused, and also do not validate the insinuation that a lethal cadmium poisoning could be the result. There are no correlations between Srila Prabhupada’s lethal cadmium levels and the phenomenon of modern-day tainted Ayurvedic medicines.
None of the modern-day studies on tainted Ayurvedic medicines had over a fraction of 1 ppm cadmium and no deaths have been reported from their use. The effects from tainted Ayurvedic medicines is expected to be less than that of the average environmentally- occupationally exposed person described above, which was 0.387 ppm cadmium in hair, or 40 times LESS than Srila Prabhupada’s levels.
