 Following the death of magnetician Emile Danco on 5 June 1898, the situation worsened.Morale worsened after the death of Nansen, the ship's cat, on 22 June.By 22 July, command of the ship was taken by Amundsen and Cook, as de Gerlache and Lecointe were too ill. Cook insisted that the men ate the penguin and seal meat, following which the crew rapidly recovered from the scurvy.