Winter hazards

On a field visit last week I was called to see a woman who had fever and swollen legs. No other information was available and so I went to see her. 

Deep in the Achanakmar forest, Dharmin Baiga lives in Dabripara, a part of Bindawal village. She lives with her husband, son and daughter-in-law. A small square of land to grow crops, a cow, a few possessions, and a two roomed, mud plastered hut is what they own collectively. Among the Baigas they are among the better-off ones.

When the cold increased this year, they did what they always do- sleep around a fire inside the house. Last week, Dharmin's husband found an extra big log to put in the fire so that he need not wake up in the middle of the night to put on another log. But their room is very small, and one end of the log extended under the cot that Dharmin slept on. During the night the log burnt along its length, including the part under the cot. The cot was made of nylon tapes that caught fire, burnt the blanket on top and burnt Dharmin's legs. Luckily she was not injured more severely. 

They applied some herbal preparation on the burns, and thought no more about it. However, in four days, both legs were swollen and the burn wounds oozed pus. Dharmin had fever and severe pain. 

When I saw her she was sitting in front of her hut in the sun, in obvious pain. She had badly infected burn wounds with cellulitis. She did not say a word about herself and I spoke to the husband about the need to get her to hospital. He was reluctant at first  - the crops needed tending, the cow had to be looked after. The son did not help them much, he said. But he agreed to come to hospital in our vehicle. 

Dharmin is undergoing treatment now and I am happy to say she is recovering. Sadly, hers is not an isolated case. Burn wounds in winter are a common feature seen in forest, rural and poor communities. Where warm clothing is insufficient or the hut lets in cold air, sleeping around a fire in winter is the norm rather than the exception. It is a hazard of poverty.

Dharmin outside her house in Dabripara