why is chicken pox called chicken pox??

Question

where does the chicken come into it?

Answer 1

One history of medicine book credits Giovanni Filippo (1510–1580) of Palermo with the first description of varicella (chickenpox). Subsequently in the 1600s, an English physician named Richard Morton described what he thought 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 pecked 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".
As "pox" also means curse, in medieval times some believed it was a plague brought on to curse children by the use of black magic.

From ancient times, neem has been used by Indians to alleviate the external symptoms of itching and to minimise scarring. Neem baths - neem leaves and a dash of turmeric powder in water - are commonly given for the duration.

During the medieval era, oatmeal was discovered to soothe the sores, and oatmeal baths are today still commonly given to relieve itching.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Although people agree on why it was called pox, know one is sure why it was called chicken pox. There is two different explanations either of which could be true, or possiblely they could both be wrong.

1. Chicken could be derived from the French word 'ciche' which means chickpea, a reference to the size of the pock seen in chicken pox.

2. Chicken may be a corrupted form of the Old English word 'gican', which means itch.

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.

Answer 5

the chicken pox is called chicken pox because your skin looks like it's pecked by a chicken.and second(my prediction)if you scratch your poxes,i might think its like a chicken scratching its own body. :D

Answer 6

There are a number of suggestions as to the origin of the word chickenpox. It was first used in 1694 to describe what was then thought to be a mild form of smallpox. 'Chichpease' from the french 'chiche' and Latin 'cicen' was suggested as possible origin as the early chickenpox pustule looks like a chickpea.The Old-English term 'cicen 'refers to a barnyard fowl. Another suggestion is that it comes from the Old-English term 'gican' which means itch, I think I prefer that one best.

Answer 7

Yep...if ya gotta look it up, ya gotta be quick! That was interesting, though. The only thing I can add is that there are related diseases like cowpox and smallpox. I think it was Jenner that observed cowpox conferred immunity to smallpox since they're so similar, although cowpox is very mild in comparison to the scourge of smallpox.

Answer 8

Because you look hen pecked maybe?? I know that it is a light virus of small pox, but otherwise cant help you here. sorry.

Answer 9

Why is Yahoo called Yahoo

Answer 10

crap i was just about to cut and paste that entire thing above - u really gotta be fast on here to get in first