Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. An acute, highly infectious, often fatal disease caused by a poxvirus and characterized by high fever and aches with subsequent widespread eruption of pimples that blister, produce pus, and form pockmarks. Also called variola.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. An acute, highly contagious disease, fatal in between one third and one fourth of unvaccinated cases. It ordinarily presents the following features; a period of incubation (three to eighteen days or more, usually twelve to fourteen days);
Wiktionary
- n. An acute, highly infectious often fatal disease caused by a virus of the family Poxviridae. It was completely eradicated in the 1970s. Those who survived were left with pockmarks.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A contagious, constitutional, febrile disease characterized by a peculiar eruption; variola. The cutaneous eruption is at first a collection of papules which become vesicles (first flat, subsequently umbilicated) and then pustules, and finally thick crusts which slough after a certain time, often leaving a pit, or scar.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a highly contagious viral disease characterized by fever and weakness and skin eruption with pustules that form scabs that slough off leaving scars
Examples
“London society then censured Lady Mary as an unnatural mother for following the Turkish trend in smallpox inoculation: but her determination escorted a breakthrough into Western medicine.”
The Huffington Post: Terry Kelhawk: Skirts on Camels: Early Women Travel Writers
“During the smallpox epidemic that swept through many parts of New Spain in 1763, she cautions that her grandchildren not be allowed to eat sweets while the threat of smallpox is present; another letter mentions that Maria Antonia's dizzy spells were probably caused by "the sweets she eats.”
Pestilence and Headcolds: Encountering Illness in Colonial Mexico
“Whereas chickenpox virus (varicella) can be spread before the rash occurs, smallpox is only spread after the rash has occurred.”
“They often hired out as nurses in smallpox pesthouses, with complete confidence in their immunity.”
“I would expect there to be a very major uproar over this, since smallpox is thought to have been completely removed from the earth.”
estamos preocupados por el brote de viruela/ we are worried about the smallpox outbreak
“But the word smallpox was burned into her brain, and she surmised that she was in a hospital.”
“In the event of a release of a pathogen such as smallpox, which is human-to-human transmissible and has high associated mortality, a key question is how best to deploy containment and control strategies.”
“In 1919, Higgins called smallpox and typhoid inoculations "medical barbarism.”
“We see them involved in massive theft, in murder, and bringing diseases like smallpox, which is responsible for the death of millions of Americans.”
Dawn Teo: Tea Partiers Punked, Prankster Calls For Ousting Of "European Immigrants" (VIDEO)
“Given the lack of a drug therapy for smallpox, the best approach for reducing our vulnerability to smallpox is to expand the available supply of the vaccine.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘smallpox’.
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Afflictions of the Realm
archaic diseases
dropsy, quinsy, tisick, measles, croup, gout, canker, teething, overlaying, mold-shot head, thrush, whooping-cough and 42 more...
chained_bear "DECEMBER 9, 1772.
BERKLEY plantation is now clear of the SMALLPOX, and the Publick may be assured there is no Danger of any Infection remaining, as every necessary Care has been taken to cleanse the People and Houses.
BENJAMIN HARRISON."
—Virginia Gazette, Dec. 10, 1772 (Yes, this is the ancestor of Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president)
See also tar-water and cordial. Jan 27, 2009