La Manzanilla de la Muerte

One of the first things we were told when arriving in Barbados was not to handle the tiny green apples on the trees ringed in red paint.  They are the fruit of the machineel tree and are extremely poisonous.  Found along the coast including our favorite secluded beach here, the machineel tree releases a toxin in its creamy white, milky substance.  The Caribs used to use the sap of this tree to poison their darts to ward off intruders and tied their captives to the trunk of this tree ensuring a slow, painful death.  It is said that the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon was felled by an arrow dipped in the sap of the machineel by the Calusa in Florida and died shortly after.  What I am trying to say is, the plant is no joke! 

Somehow my husband managed to bring one home (long before I arrived with the girls) and cut one open, curious about its delicious fragrance.  Something prevented him from tasting it which would have surely caused his death, as he would also more than likely not seek medical treatment when the vomiting began.  He was lucky.

Didier's BFF and family are visiting with us for two weeks and on our first trip to the beach I did mention that this plant was to be avoided at all costs.  I think the message was duly noted and no one touched the little apples or the tree bark during our visit to the beach.  Yesterday, it appears, was different.  LB, the eight year old son picked up an apple while on a surfing excursion on the south coast and I imagine that when his mother saw him handling the fruit, she grabbed it from him and threw it.  This morning, young LB's hands were swollen like baseball mitts and nickel-sized blisters were forming at his knuckles.  Day three of the trip.  Off to Sandy Crest 24-hour Medical Center where it was confirmed.  Poisoning for the machineel tree.  It's green fruit is called in Spanish, "la manzanilla de la muerte " or the "little apple of death" and its sting is apparently pretty painful. 

The pus was removed from the blisters and his hands are being topically treated like burn wounds.  He has also been given an antibiotic, pain killers and an antihistamine for the swelling, itching, and pain.  Poor baby can't get his hands wet at all and will return to Sandy Crest on Sunday for a check up.  Oh, and his mom's swelling has just begun on the hand she threw that little sucker away with.  My friend jokes that they didn't have this in the travel brochures, but it did get a little mention. 

The blistering continues.  Listen, as Snow White should have.  DON'T TOUCH THAT APPLE!

(c) Copyright 2010.   City Mom in the Jungle.