As a mother I had to be constantly alert for skin infections, especially when the children were small. The tropics offer perfect conditions for bacterial and fungal growths, and Vanessa and Rachel were not immune to them! Vanessa was more easily affected than Rachel, perhaps because her skin was so fair, but the infections were contagious and Vanessa usually passed them on to her sister.
Impetigo was the first skin condition they experienced and it was awful. They were quite small when they contracted it and I was horrified by its appearance! Impetigo is a contagious skin infection that causes blisters and sores, and it spread on those poor little girls like wildfire, first Vanessa and then Rachel. It started as a small itchy pimple that grew and spread when it was scratched. I had no way of knowing where they had picked it up – it could have been from other infected children, clothes, toys, sheets, towels or one of many places where the bacteria thrived.
To treat the impetigo I did what others on the Island told me would work and it wasn’t pleasant. I had to take the children in the shower several times a day (cold water, this was before water heaters!) and gently break open the sores with a rough washcloth. This was painful, and Vanessa and Rachel howled during the process and grew to dread getting into the shower. Once I cleansed the infected areas with soap and water I dried the girls and applied antibiotic ointment. I felt so badly about causing them pain but it was the best way to get rid of the infection.
Another ailment the children suffered from was ringworm. The name “ringworm” is misleading as there are no worms involved, it is a fungal skin infection and very common in the tropics. It shows up on the skin as a slightly raised rash in the shape of a ring, and the ring grows outward as the infection spreads. Ringworm is highly contagious and spreads easily in the warm, moist tropical climate. The children could pick it up while playing with animals or other children, even playing in sand where the fungus can live. There is a magical ointment called “Whitfield’s” and it usually worked as a treatment for the ringworm.
Vanessa once had ringworm on her face, and every time I thought I had the fungus beaten it would reappear somewhere else. It got so bad I took her to the mainland to see Dr. Cyrus, the Whitfield’s obviously wasn’t enough of a remedy. I was mortified when the Doctor lifted her hair and showed me a scalp covered with ringworm, how could I have not noticed that!!!??? I had to admit to the doctor that Vanessa’s nanny usually washed and brushed her hair. It didn’t make me look like much of a mother, I was very embarrassed!
