Doctors who were flown into the remote James Bay Kashechewa Cree community this week seem to agree the issue is one of neglected hygiene made worse by the brutal living conditions in a poor semi-arctic environment. They say that children showing frightening sores and scabby tissue are victims of a variety of known childhood conditions such as scabies, eczema and impetigo. One physician told CTV that there is a “social problem” related to the general knowledge of personal care and the capacity for such care in frequently difficult conditions. Dr. Gordon Green, who is Chief of Staff at the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority is quoted by CTV as saying there is no medical emergency in the community. Dr. Green says eczema is common in the general population, with up to 20 per cent of Canadians experiencing it in their lifetimes. He said it can get especially bad in the Far North because heating causes skin to dry out and crack. This is apparently exacerbated by infrequent bathing needed to keep down the bacteria count.
