How did chicken pox get its name?

Answer 1

One history of medicine book claims Giovanni Filippo (1510–1580) of Palermo the first description of varicella (chickenpox). Subsequently in the 1600s, an English physician named Richard Morton described what he thought was a mild form of smallpox as "chicken pox." Later, in 1767, a physician named William Heberden, also from England, was the first physician to clearly demonstrate that chickenpox was different from smallpox. However, it is believed the name chickenpox was commonly used in earlier centuries before doctors identified the disease.

Answer 2

Chicken pox is far too old a disease to be able to answer that question but here's some stuff about the history of it:

One history of medicine book claims Giovanni Filippo (1510–1580) of Palermo gave the first description of varicella (chickenpox). Subsequently in the 1600s, an English physician named Richard Morton described what he thought was a mild form of smallpox as "chicken pox." Later, in 1767, a physician named William Heberden, also from England, was the first physician to clearly demonstrate that chickenpox was different from smallpox. However, it is believed the name chickenpox was commonly used in earlier centuries before doctors identified the disease.

There are many explanations offered for the origin of the name chickenpox:

the specks that appear looked as though the skin was picked by chickens,

the disease was named after chick peas, from a supposed similarity in size of the seed to the lesions

Samuel Johnson suggested that the disease was "no very great danger," thus a "chicken" version of the pox

the term reflects a corruption of the Old English word, "giccin", which meant "itching

Answer 3

Here are just a few reasons as to how chicken pox got its name:
1. The specks that appear look as if the skin was picked by chickens.
2. The disease was named after chick peas, from a similarity in size of the seed to the lesion.
3. Samuel Johnson suggested that the disease was "no very great danger," thus a "chicken" version of the pox

Answer 4

When chicken pox was first described, it was noted that the pox lesions looked more like they were placed upon the skin rather than being a part of the skin themselves. In fact, people long ago felt they looked like chick peas placed upon the skin. The Latin word for chick peas is cicer which is the original word that chicken pox got its name.

So you see, chicken pox has nothing to do with chickens, but the red bumps you have on your body were once thought to look like the vegetable called chick peas. I hope you feel better soon.

Answer 5

Random Guess: A doctor discovered it in one of his patients. Thinking the patient caught the disease from chickens in his farm, and the doctors last name was Pox, he decided to called the disease Chicken Pox?

Lol thanks for the 2 points..

Answer 6

because the pimples that are on the body due to chicken pox are like the pimples on the chicken's face

Answer 7

i think it was some kind of retro virus that transfered from the chicken to the human, kinda like how cow pox got its name. i dont know for sure.

Answer 8

The vesicles look like chick-peas. Soak chick-peas in water. Split them into halves and put them on blotting paper. What you see looks just like chicken pox.

Answer 9

Pox Chicken :D lol jk i dont know sorrry~

Answer 10

You will get your answer and more on this site...and other fun information too!!!

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/bio99/bio99900.htm