Chicken-Pox.

This disease, technically known as varicella, is somewhat insig­
nificant, because rarely, if ever, fatal. It is confined almost entirely
to children, though cases are known in which adults also are affected.
It is a highly infectious disease, and presumably spreads only by
contagion.

Symptoms.—The appearance of the eruption is generally pre­
ceded by slight constitutional disturbance for about twenty-four
hours. There is some fever ; possibly nausea and vomiting. The
rash usually appears first on the body, and afterwards on the face and
head. It is well characterized from the eruption of small­pox, by the
fact that it is from the first composed of vesicles (blisters), and not
of hard papules (pimples). On the fifth or sixth day the vesicles
begin to dry ; by this time they may be as large as small peas, and
are surrounded by a broad red margin. They soon scab and fall off,
rarely leaving scars. Not infrequently a second crop of vesicles
appears during the first three days.

Treatment.—The indisposition attending this disease is so
slight as to require nothing more than the simplest home treatment;
a saline laxative, such as the citrate of magnesia, occasional spong­
ing and light diet will fulfill all requirements. It is desirable to iso­
late the child, so as to protect other children.

The only point of special interest in connection with chicken-pox
is the possibility of confusion with small­pox. This mistake is often
made, sometimes even by physicians, who unguardedly give an opin­
ion before the characteristics of the respective diseases become mani­
fest. Two points may be recognized by the non-professional: in
small­pox the rash begins as hard papules, and become vesicles only
after the lapse of several days ; in chicken-pox the rash consists of
vesicles from the outset. In small­pox the vesicles exhibit the char­
acteristic umbilicationy which is wanting in chicken-pox.

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