The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-06-28
SMALLPOX VS.. CHICKENPOx.
Differences Between Diseases Considered
By Vermont Board of Health.

| The June bulletin issued by the Yer
mont board of health gives the follow
ing comparison Of smallpox and chicken.
lpox;
"The diagnosis between smallpox and
chickenpox is frequently difficult, ow-
ing to the extreme mildness of the small
pox cases. The early symptoms may be
so slight that only a temporary indis-
position is noticed, and by the time the
eruption appears, about the fourth day,
the patient feels entirely we'll There,
are some points which aid in the differ
entiation; and these may be summarized
as follows: In chiekenpox, the trunk of
the body, that is, the part covered by
clothing, presents the most LESSONS, and
the face, hands and extremities are com
paratively free; whereas, in smallpox,
the hands, face and extremities are most
markedly involved
in chickenpox, the spots usually make
their appearance as watery blisters, very
small at first and gradually increasing in
size. They are very delicate and are
easily broken by the finger-nail. in
smallpox, they begin as small pimples
which feel somewhat like grains of sand
buried in the skin, and require about
three days to deyolp the watery contents
This later changes to pus, and the pus-
tules are more firmly covered, so that
they are not easily broken. In chicken
pox, the eruption rarely, if ever comes
out at once, but there are irregular or
crop-like outbreaks for two or three
days, although the largest number APP
pear with TIE first crop; the LESSONS are,
therefore, % be found in all stages of
evolution. In smallpox, on the contrary, |
the spots usually appear at one time, or
within several hours, or a day. and their |
evolution and course are therefore uni
form, although. naturally, some LESSONS
may be larger than others; they are apt |
TO be distinctly hard and shotty in the
The spots of chiekenpox are
usually scattered with no tendency to
grouping. In smallpox. the are often
crowded together. The LESSONS of chick
anpox begin TO crust over in few days
while those of smallpox develop much
more Slowly. A sinking-in of the central
portion of the spot may occur in both
asses, but is more marked and more
general in smallpox, although it occurs
ate.
"In Osler's Practice Of Medicine. the
diagosis of smallpox is given:
During an epidemic the initial chill, the
headache and backbone, and the vomit-
IS by the occurrence, in man who had
uard'
1.-THE initial rashes may lead to error. I
he scarlatinal rash has rarely the ex- (
emit and never the persistence of the Z
ash in true scarlet fever. ! have known
he rash of measles TO be mistaken for
he initial rash of smallpox. The general
ondition of the patient. the presence of L
oryza. coniunctivitis and koplik's sign,
lay be better guides than the rash IL /.
~.
Naturally enough. as they are al
ed affections. varicella lchickenpoXl -
he disease which most frequently leads
error. Particularly has this been the a
,se in the mild epidemic which has Is
revailed during the past three years. a
negro patient was admitted 10 my e
ards on the fourth day Of the disease.
nallpox was not prevalent at the time
IA the case was regarded as one OF vari-
Ia. Subsequently eight cases appeared, r
veral Of exceeding mldness. but our !,
istake was forcibly brought home 10 :,
by the oecurrance, in a man who had y
en- exposed in a ward, Of a case Of con
tent smallpox Of great severity. The y
flowing points are to be borne in mind; y
&. the experience Of the past few
arr has shown that very mild cpidem-
Of true smallpox may occur second
and large number Of cases Of con 10
gious disease with a pustular eruption nj
-urring in adults j. strongly in favor 70
smallpox. The character Of the rash III
Of less value. It, abundance on the
ink in varicella j. important. AZ the
tset. the papnles have rarely The shot
hard feel u smallpox The vcsicies
more superficial the infltrated sire on
i not 80 intense nor so constant. and ~
= rule. the pox may b. seen in the no
ne patient in al stages Of develop In