By Marlene McPherson, Freelance WriterMEET Alice Mulgrave, nee Brown. A mother of 10 children; six of the children from 12 years and under were all living within the matrimonial home at the Knightsville area in Yallahs, St. Thomas, but 28 years ago flour poisoning brought tragedy to her household. She was the only survivor. She recounted how Martel, Laurel, Gravey, Lorna, Joy and Meloney Mulgrave all died.
Mrs. Mulgrave said she is constantly consoled with the Scriptures, "All good things work together for good to them that love God." She is in a restored relationship with Jesus Christ and has a new zest for life.
When Flair made contact with Mrs. Mulgrave she was on her morning walk in the East Albion Yallahs district of St. Thomas. She is now going back to school at the age of 65 doing mathematics and English language.
"I prefer to stand. I will not break down," she insisted as we searched for a sitting area under the cool shade of a tree.
"Well, on the morning of January 24, 1976, I sent my daughter to buy some flour from a particular shop. She stayed long and when she returned she told me that they did not have any flour. So she went to another shop, where they have this flour. The flour looked a little yellow but I said that sometimes the colour is not the same all the time. I put the baking powder in and mix it. I then put a stainless steel fork in it and it did not change colour. The little one ask for some of the dough to fry spinner dumpling and I gave him.
"The children's father was mixing some cement and the children would have to carry water so they had to eat early to help him. The breakfast was fried dumplings and fish. They all had it. I heard one of them cry out, 'Mama mi drunk!' and he fell. I took him up and Mr. Ross (a neighbour) carried him in his car to the hospital, on the way he died in my hand.
HOSPITAL EXPERIENCES
"By the time I reached Princess Margaret Hospital, a police jeep came with two more of the children and a van came after with the rest.
"After I saw the police jeep come with the other two, I run out and look, then ran back to the nurse and said, 'I eat some of the flour too.' I find my head bowing. I remembered I was put in a wheelchair and I was jerking. I did not know what happened afterwards. When I woke up, I realised I was in the University Hospital and I understand that I was unconscious for days.
"I was strung up, I had tubes in my nose had on an eye pad and I was attached to a drip (IV). On opening my eyes, I realised I could not see. 'Mi blind, mi blind!' I yelled out to the doctor."
Mrs. Mulgrave paused and then broke down in tears. She later regained her composure and
continued to tell her story.
"The doctor turned a light into my eyes and for about three more days I could not see. I even got blood transfusion," she said, while pointing to a scar on her leg which marked the place where the needle entered her hand for the blood transfusion.
"It was sad and mournful. I received $10 from a friend to buy a beer but nothing was in the house so I saved it for the following morning. Instead of getting flour I got a funeral. I did not see them (the children) again until they were in the caskets.
COPING
"I spent eight days in the hospital and came out the day before the funeral. Prayer, visits from church members, friends all helped me. It took a very long time for me to get over my children's deaths. I could remember when I was at the canning factory and cutting up the ackee. I cut up the ackee, the skin and everything it was like I was in another world. I felt a mango hit me and heard when my co-worker shout 'come back man!' I had to know God for myself. I can now shout victory!" she smiled.
"In the Bible, Naomi said God dealt bitterly with her, but she was restored just as I am today. Eventually, my husband left me but I survived. The bottom line is God is good. In all my distress the song 'Does Jesus care... oh yes, He cares. I know He cares' has helped me and the Scripture 'all things work together for good' has also helped me."
Her daughter, Jennifer Howell, one of her four remaining children living in Jamaica, also recalled the terrible ordeal on that fateful day.
"I was surprised, I was frightened. I only heard all my brothers, sisters died and my mother was in the hospital. Her eyes looked like (pointing to her mother's blue skirt) that blue colour. When she was thirsty, she received a piece of ice to wipe her mouth because she could not eat or drink," Howell reminisced.
"When she came out of the hospital she did not know exactly what was happening because she received medication that caused her to sleep a lot. The 12 caskets were laid out, six for my brothers and sisters and three for my cousins. The other three were for persons from the community who had also died from the poisoning," she added.
"The funeral was large. My uncle and other family members fainted," Howell added. "My mother was there but she just stared. When we went to comfort her she just pushed us away. They were all buried in the Yallahs cemetery. Three weeks later, the dogs died," she further recalled.
During our chat with Mrs. Mulgrave, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren milled around ensuring that grandma was fine.
"I have learnt my lessons and I have a deeper faith in God," she concluded.
