"chicken pox"--why "chicken"?

[Benjamin Barrett]

This is probably a red herring, but in addition to regular chicken
pox and water pox, the Shogakukan Eng-Jpn dictionary gives fowl pox
as one of the definitions of chicken pox. Perhaps they have similar
symptoms or look similar.

Benjamin Barrett

> -----Original Message-----
> [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf Of Gerald Cohen

>     I have been asked why "chicken" appears in "chicken
> pox" and was
> surprised to find out that there is no clear answer.

>      Would anyone have any idea at all why "chicken"
> turns up in "chicken pox"?