Cult Member Appears to Suffer Gangrene : Standoff: The injured woman is one of four hurt in the Feb. 28 gunfight with federal agents. The wounded appear to be relying on home remedies.

At least one of four wounded religious cult members holed up inside a barricaded compound is believed to be suffering from life-threatening gangrene and is in need of immediate hospitalization, the FBI reported Saturday.

But as the standoff between the Branch Davidians and federal agents entered its third week, those inside the besieged compound showed no sign of ending the confrontation any time soon, FBI Agent Bob Ricks said at a news conference.

And as the temperature dipped below freezing, self-proclaimed messiah David Koresh was believed to be nursing his own gunshot wounds in the compound’s only room equipped with an air conditioner and a heater, authorities said.

Ricks said that injured cult members, including Koresh, have been relying on “home remedies” to treat the wounds sustained in a gun battle that erupted when federal agents attempted to serve arrest and search warrants at the compound for weapons violations on Feb. 28.

Four U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents were killed in the firefight and 15 others were wounded. At least four cult members were killed in the 45-minute exchange of gunfire.

“They believe they are part of a matter much greater than simple life or death,” Ricks said. “Some believe if they leave at this time they are, in fact, giving up their beliefs and will be damned forever.”

Koresh, 33, has recently complained to federal negotiators over the telephone of severe headaches, possibly related to stress coupled with gunshot wounds in his left side and in one wrist, authorities have said.

“Mr. Koresh has indicated . . . he uses certain home remedies and, in fact, refuses to take any medication,” Ricks said. But “doctors do not believe that the injuries of Mr. Koresh are life-threatening and it appears that they’re going about a normal healing process.”

Two doctors who have been in telephonic contact with the injured cult members believe that one of Koresh’s “wives,” Judy Schneider, 41, has gangrene in one of her fingers. Gangrene is tissue decay caused when an injury obstructs blood flow.

“When she was presented with the fact that she needed to be hospitalized, that the finger appeared to be getting an infection that could spread to her bloodstream,” Ricks said, “her suggestion to the doctor was that perhaps she should just cut off her finger.”

“The doctor described that as barbaric and not something she should do,” he said. “We are dealing with people who are very committed. Even though their lives may be in jeopardy, they are refusing to come out.”

On Friday, Koresh approved the departure of Oliver Gyarfas, 19, of Australia, and Kathryn Schroeder, 34, whose husband was killed in the gun battle. The two cult members were being held in custody as material witnesses to the shootout, authorities said.

Under an agreement with authorities, Schroeder was allowed to visit her 3-year-old son, Brian, who was released earlier in the week, and then report back to the compound by telephone about how she was being treated, Ricks said.

“She reported very favorably about how she was treated,” Ricks said. “She was very excited about being able to see her son, just as any mother would be.”

As of Saturday, four adults and 21 children had been released from the compound. But Ricks warned that the releases should not be interpreted as a signal of an impending swift and peaceful end to the stalemate between cult members and federal agents.

“A slow dribble of individuals coming out, one or two per day, when we still have 105 people inside, will not lead to a speedy resolution,” Ricks said.

“We’re saying, ‘Mr. Koresh, we’re here, we’re knocking on your door, we’re offering you a peaceful solution. This has been going on for two weeks . . . we have not used any firearms against you. Please respond.’ ”