Smallpox - Eradicated or Renamed?

Is there a myth of eradication that's kept alive to keep the door open for mass smallpox vaccinations in the future, through deceptive stories of the disease or its mutants resurfacing?

"There is probably no disease in which the percentage of diagnostic errors is so great as it is in smallpox." (1921, Illinois Medical Journal) [26]

Summary

Supplement 1: Smallpox and Impetigo Contagiosa

Supplement 2: Smallpox and mpox / monkeypox

Supplement 3: Smallpox and other diseases

Supplement 4: The trend of renaming of other so called “Vaccine Preventable Diseases” (VPDs)

References

Summary

At the time of this writing, WHO has declared mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) as a PHEIC (Public Health Emergency of International Concern), the second time since 2022. [38] While it has been argued widely, and correctly so, that such a declaration makes no sense given the relatively mild nature of the disease (WHO’s own figures indicating a mortality rate of 0.2% among confirmed cases) [40], lack of evidence of a contagion and WHO’s dubious role in the so called pandemic of Covid-19, a closer scrutiny of mpox also brings forth the following facts, and leads to questions around the claims of smallpox eradication.

• Based on clinical diagnosis mpox is no different than smallpox. In fact, mpox was discovered in humans in 1970, coincidentally with the strict enforcement of mass smallpox vaccinations in Zaire (now called Democratic Republic of Congo). [23, 24]

• In the mid 19th century, when smallpox was strictly enforced in the West [39], a disease resembling smallpox called impetigo contagiosa was discovered (in 1864), and smallpox vaccination was actually identified as one of the causative factors of this disease. [1]

Both impetigo contagiosa and mpox exist today. Given that both these diseases have been clinically indistinguishable from smallpox, and the fact that the global public health agencies have similarly renamed other so called vaccine preventable diseases, thereby inflation vaccination efficacy, it can be argued that smallpox was never eradicated, and it’s eradication is based simply on the shaky grounds of virology while not passing the barrier of clinical diagnosis.

We are told that smallpox viruses are maintained in only 2 labs in the world, one in US & the other in Russia. [37] Is it possible that the myth of eradication is kept alive, to keep the card of mass smallpox vaccinations open through a lab leak story in the future? This is speculative for sure, but not within the realms of impossibility given what’s been observed over the last 4+ years.

Supplement 1 - Smallpox and Impetigo Contagiosa

The term "impetigo contagiosa" was coined in 1864 & distinguised from porrigo & impetigo in that it was contagious. Curiously this coincided with making smallpox vaccination mandatory & the smallpox vaccine was identified as one of its causes. [1]

"impetigo contagiosa possesses spots oftentimes exactly resembling vaccinia" (British Medical Journal, 1864) [3]

“Vaccinia or cowpox can be easily confused at first with variola and impetigo" (American Journal of Diseases of Children, 1934) [4]

"Varicella should be differentiated from variola and impetigo" (Dermatology, the Essentials of Cutaneous Medicine, 1921) [5]

“Variola may be confused with impetigo, measles, scarlet fever and syphilitic skin lesions, besides varicella” (The Journal of American Medical Association, 1902) [6]

A publication titled ‘A Treatise on Cowpox’ in 1801 reported that 2 vaccinated subjects with suspected smallpox were diagnosed with chickenpox and impetigo [7]

“Dr. Henry G. Pifiard in the New York Medical Journal, July 1872, gives several cases which go to prove that (smallpox) vaccination does act in some cases as a causative agency (of impetigo contagiosa)” [8]

“Impetigo Contagiosa does undoubtedly, in a very large number of instances, develop itself as a sequela of vaccination” (New York Medical Journal, 1872) [9]

"we often hear epidemics called contagious impetigo which are really small-pox." (The Medical Brief, 1904) [10]

"The eruption (impetigo contagiosa) so much resembles a case of smallpox that much alarm is created among those who first see it" ...."vaccinated occasionally develop impetigo contagiosa” (Berkely Daily Gazette, 1933) [11]

In the year 1901, a doctor was sued after child died of impetigo contagiosa following vaccination. Jury granted $1000 to the mother [12]

“Of all diseases that protean and imitative malady syphilis is the one which is capable of most closely simulating smallpox. During almost every extensive epidemic of smallpox cases of the former disease are erroneously regarded as variola and are not infrequently sent into hospitals set aside for the treatment of this disease.” (The Journal of American Medical Association, 1902) [2]

Multiple writeups in the journal “The Medical World”, in 1901, indicated how suspected smallpox cases were diagnosed as impetigo contagiosa, chickenpox, Cuban itch etc. Another writeup emphasized the case of a vaccinated boy who fell sick twice - first with ‘Cuban Itch’ and then with ‘Impetigo Contagiosa’

" we are continually having the foolish diagnosis of chicken pox, Cuban itch, impetigo contagiosa and so on ad infinitum"

“I have been very much interested in the discussion going on anent ''Cuban itch," impetigo contagiosa, small pox, etc., and find that even in far off Canada they are wrestling with the problem even to the clashing of physicians and the dignitaries of the health boards.”

“This is the so-called Cuban itch is in realty, impetigo contagiosa”

“We are having in this vicinity several cases of this much talked of “what is it”, called by the different names of small pox, chicken pox, impetigo contagiosa, Cuban itch, nigger itch, etc”

"The statistics of the American Dermatological Association from 1878 to 1887 showed this disease to constitute but 2 per cent, of all cutaneous affections. Since this time impetigo has become one of the most frequently encountered skin diseases in dispensary practise. During the past year at the Philadelphia Polyclinic, out of 1,100 cases treated 10 per cent, were impetigo contagiosa." [13]

"On the 17th June, on the peninsular Wittow, Isle of Riigen, seventy-nine children were vaccinated with humanized thymoa lymph, obtained from the Royal Vaccine Institution, Stettin, and with three exceptions all were attacked in the second week after the operation with a pustular eruption. The vaccinated children communicated the infection (Impetigo Contagiosa) to their parents, brothers and sisters, and the number of sufferers rose to 320 out of a population of 5,000." (Exposing the Evils of Vaccination, 1891) [14]

Supplement 2: Smallpox and Mpox / Monkeypox

Mpox was discovered in humans in 1970, coincidentally with the strict enforcement of mass smallpox vaccinations in Zaire (now called Democratic Republic of Congo). [23, 24]

"Monkeypox is clinically identical to smallpox" (Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 1983) [15]

"A 9 month old child came down with a disease ‘curiously like smallpox’ called monkeypox" (Nature/Science Annual, 1976) [16]

A 1973 case study looking at determining whether a suspected cases was monkeypox or smallpox observed that "Diagnosis is uncertain" [17]

“Monkeypox is almost indistinguishable from smallpox” (2005, Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences) [18]

"The monkeypox virus is virtually indistinguishable from smallpox" (1973, West Virginia Medical Journal) [19]

"In humans, the (monkeypox) illness produces a vesicular and pustular rash similar to that of smallpox" (2003, Federal Register) [20]

"Smallpox is morpholically indistinguishable from monkeypox" (1981) [21]

"In 1978, Russian workers claimed that had observed mutants of monkeypox virus which are indistinguishable from smallpox" [21]

"Monkeypox can cause disease in man which resembles smallpox" (1981) [21]

"Serologic studies indicate monkeypox has a closer relationship to smallpox" (1975) [22]

Per a Public Health Report in South Carolina in 1898, 9 suspected cases of smallpox were diagnosed as impetigo contagiosa [29]

Supplement 3: Smallpox and other diseases

The literature is full of examples of how smallpox was confounded with other diseases. A few examples are presented below:

“Cow pox resembles great pox (or syphilis) more than small pox” (1893) [25]

"Measles, German measles, scarlet fever, pustular syphilis, ulcerative endocarditis and glanders, as well as various drug rashes have caused confusion. Impetigo, furunculosis, pustular dermatitis, acne and insect bites may sometimes come under consideration in a differentiation."

“chickenpox is the disease most commonly confused with smallpox in the eruptive stage” (1921, Illinois Medical Journal) [26]

Complicating matters, doctors and laymen alike used misleading names to describe what they could not diagnose, Expressions such as “yaws”, “Cuban itch”, “Spanish itch”, “Impetigo”, “Georgia bumps”, “Bold chicken pox” or simply chicken pox led to confusion. Others simply described symptoms as “the disease”, refusing to give it a name, but persistently refusing to call it smallpox. When closely questioned, many doctors, claiming to be authorities on the subject, acknowledged they had never seen a case of smallpox. (2013, Smallpox: a history) [27]

“Syphilis. — The similarity (with smallpox) is often so close as to deceive even the most experienced.” [28]

“Other conditions occasionally confused with smallpox are syphilis, acne, herpes, urticaria, impetigo contagiosa, scabies, glanders, drug eruptions and insect bites” (1933, The New England Journal of Medicine) [30]

Supplement 4: The trend of renaming of other so called “Vaccine Preventable Diseases” (VPDs)

In previous posts, I have argued that diseases such as polio and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) were reclassified as Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), after mass vaccination programmes were intensified, thereby creating the illusion of polio elimination and reduction in JE incidence. [31, 32] Similarly, measles like illness can be caused by the measles vaccine. [33] Outbreaks initially classified as Japanese Encephalitis and Measles, which pointed towards failure of the JE and Measles vaccines, in Malaysia and India respectively, were reclassified as Nipah. [34, 35, 36]

References

[1] Fox, W. Tilbury. “On Impetigo Contagiosa, or Porrigo.” British Medical Journal, vol. 1, no. 174, 1864, pp. 467–469, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2325283/.

[2] SCHAMBERG, JAY. “REPORT of FOUR CASES of SYPHILIS MISTAKEN for SMALLPOX, with REMARKS on THE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS of THESE TWO DISEASES.” The Journal of the American Medical Association , vol. 39, no. 22, 29 Nov. 1902, pp. 1385–1388, archive.org/details/sim_jama_1902-11-29_39_22/page/1384/mode/2up

[3] Fox, William Tilbury, et al. On Impetigo Contagiosa, or Porrigo. Internet Archive, [London] : Printed by T. Richards, 1864, archive.org/details/b22315834/page/4/mode/2up.

[4] PLATOU, E.S. “ECZEMA VACCINATUM.” American Journal of Diseases of Children, vol. 48, no. 2, Aug. 1934, pp. 333–334. Internet Archive, archive.org/details/sim_jama-pediatrics_1934-08_48_2/page/332/mode/2up.

[5] Highman, James Walter. Dermatology, the Essentials of Cutaneous Medicine. Internet Archive, New York, MacMillan, 1921, p. 76, archive.org/details/dermatologyessen00highuoft/page/76/mode/2up.

[6] SCHAMBERG, JAY. “REPORT of FOUR CASES of SYPHILIS MIS TAKEN for SMALLPOX, with REMARKS on TITE DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS of THESE TWO DISEASES.” The Journal of the American Medical Association , vol. 39, no. 22, 29 Nov. 1902, pp. 1385–1388, archive.org/details/sim_jama_1902-11-29_39_22/page/1384/mode/2up.

[7] Ring, John, and Joseph Johnson. A Treatise on the Cow-Pox : Containing the History of Vaccine Inoculation and an Account of the Various Publications Which Have Appeared on That Subject, in Great Britain, and Other Parts of the World. Upenn.edu, Philanthropic Society, St. George’s-Fields, 1801, archive.org/details/b21299006_0002/page/n5/mode/2up.

[8] Chapman, William C. Vaccination as a Preventive of Small-Pox . Internet Archive, Toledo, Brown & Faunce, 1876, pp. 62–63, archive.org/details/vaccinationasap00chapgoog/page/n69/mode/2up.

[9] Piffard, Henry G. “Impetigo Contagiosa; Its Relation to Vaccinia.” New York Medical Journal, vol. VI, no. 1, July 1872, pp. 37–43. Internet Archive, archive.org/details/newyorkmedicalj17unkngoog/page/40/mode/2up.

[10] F.C., Curtis. “Smallpox Diagnosis Made Easy.” The Medical Brief, vol. XXXII, no. 7, July 1904, pp. 845–846. Internet Archive, archive.org/details/medicalbriefvol00unkngoog/page/844/mode/2up.

[11] Chrisman, Claud N. “The Eruption Called Impetigo Contagiosa.” Berkeley Daily Gazette, 4 Mar. 1933, p. 6, books.google.ca/books?id=iS4iAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA4&dq=Impetigo+contagiosa+after+vaccination&article_id=1328.

[12] “Verdict against Doctor - Mother of Vaccination Victim Gets a Verdict of $1000.” The Philadelphia Record, 18 Feb. 1902, books.google.ca/books?id=689TAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA5&dq=Impetigo+contagiosa+after+vaccination&article_id=2951.

[13] C.F., Taylor, and Russel A.L. “The Medical World (Multiple Articles on the Topic of Smallpox).” The Medical World, vol. X1X, 1901, pp. 54–56, 97, 100–101, 136-137, 191, 292. Internet Archive, archive.org/details/medicalworld04unkngoog/page/n8/mode/2up.

[14] Providence, R.I. Brief Extracts from High Authorities Exposing the Evils of Vaccination : The Great Medical Delusion of the Nineteenth Century, Now Exciting Popular Indignation. Snow and Farnham, Printers, 1891, archive.org/details/35120790R.nlm.nih.gov/page/n145/mode/2up.

[15] Russell, Cristine. “Running out of Miracles?” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 21 Apr. 1983, books.google.ca/books?id=teQbAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA65&dq=monkeypox&article_id=6366.

[16] Moser, Don. “Vanquishing Smallpox.” Nature/Science Annual, 1 Jan. 1976, p. 84. Internet Archive, archive.org/details/1977naturescienc0000noau/page/84/mode/2up.

[17] Great Britain. Committee of Inquiry into the Smallpox Outbreak in London in March and April 1973. “Report of the Committee on Inquiry into the Smallpox Outbreak in London in March and April 1973.” London : H.M.S.O., 1974.

[18] Jahrling, Peter. “Smallpox and Ebola Viruses as Agents of Bioterrorism.” Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, vol. 92, no. 1, 22 Apr. 2005, p. 70. Internet Archive, archive.org/details/journalofwashing9220wash/page/n3/mode/2up.

[19] West Virginia State Medical Association. “Monkeypox: A Not so Funny Disease.” West Virginia Medical Journal, vol. 69, no. 1, 1973, p. 143. Internet Archive, archive.org/details/westvirginiamedi6919west/page/n359/mode/2up.

[20] CDC, FDA, HHS. Federal Register, Vol. 68, No. 117. 12 June 2003.

[21] Baxby, Derrick. Jenner’s Smallpox Vaccine : The Riddle of Vaccinia Virus and Its Origin. Internet Archive, London : Heinemann Educational Books, 1981, pp. 18, 192-195, archive.org/details/jennerssmallpoxv0000baxb/page/18/mode/2up.

[22] Cheville, Norman. Cytopathology in Viral Diseases. 1975, p. 9, archive.org/details/cytopathologyinv0000chev/page/8/mode/2up.

[23] Muyembe-Tamfum, Jean-Jacques et al. “Smallpox and its eradication in the Democratic Republic of Congo: lessons learned.” Vaccine vol. 29 Suppl 4 (2011): D13-8. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2011.10.049, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9628709/

[24] Brown, Katy, and Peter A. Leggat. “Human Monkeypox: Current State of Knowledge and Implications for the Future.” Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, vol. 1, no. 1, 20 Dec. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6082047/, https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed1010008.

[25] Tebb, William. The Recrudescence of Leprosy and Its Causation: A Popular Treatise. 1893, p. 387, archive.org/details/recrudescencele02tebbgoog/page/n394/mode/2up.

[26] Hoyne, Archibald N. “SEEING and BELIEVING in the DIAGNOSIS of SMALLPOX.” Illinois Medical Journal, vol. 40, no. 1, July 1921, pp. 22–24. Internet Archive, archive.org/details/sim_illinois-medical-journal_1921-07_40_1/page/22/mode/2up.

[27] Kotar, S.L., and J.E. Gessler. Smallpox : A History. Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2013, p. 278, archive.org/details/smallpoxhistory0000kota/page/n3/mode/2up.

[28] Bullard, John T. “SMALLPOX : ITS DIAGNOSIS.” BOSTON MEDICAL and SURGICAL JOURNAL, vol. CXLVII, no. 8, June 1902, p. 207. Internet Archive, archive.org/details/newenglandjourna146mass/page/206/mode/2up.

[29] Wertenbaker, C. P. Disease at Spartanburg, S. C., Not Smallpox. Public Health Reports (1896-1970), 4 Mar. 1898. https://archive.org/details/jstor-41439195/page/n1/mode/2up.

[30] ARMSTRONG, CHARLES. “THE DIAGNOSIS of MILD SMALLPOX and SCARLET FEVER.” The New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 208, no. 24, 15 June 1933, pp. 1257–1260. Internet Archive, archive.org/details/sim_new-england-journal-of-medicine_the-new-england-journal-of-medicine_1933-06-15_208_24/page/1260/mode/2up.

[31] Srivastava, Vratesh. “Chandipura Virus: Media Confirms “Outbreak” Based on 1 Confirmed Case.” Substack.com, Vratesh’s Newsletter, 19 July 2024, vratesh.substack.com/p/chandipura-virus-media-confirms-outbreak.

[32] Srivastava, Vratesh. “The Other Side of India’s Polio Eradication Story.” Vratesh’s Newsletter, 18 Nov. 2023, vratesh.substack.com/p/the-other-side-of-indias-polio-eradication.

[33] Srivastava, Vratesh. “2019 Samoa Measles Outbreak: Do the Numbers Add Up?” Substack.com, Vratesh’s Newsletter, 24 Aug. 2023, vratesh.substack.com/p/2019-samoa-measles-outbreak-do-the.

[34] Kumar, S. “Inadequate Research Facilities Fail to Tackle Mystery Disease.” BMJ, vol. 326, no. 7379, 4 Jan. 2003, pp. 12d12, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.326.7379.12/d.

[35] Mudur, Ganapati. “Indian Scientists Warn of “Mutant Measles” Virus.” BMJ, vol. 322, 24 Mar. 2001, p. 693, dacemirror.sci-hub.se/journal-article/11070988146b9c89ffafcc3dfc7901cf/sheldon2001.pdf?download=true.

[36] Kaw, Bing, and Chua. “The Discovery of Nipah Virus: A Personal Account.” Neurology Asia, vol. 9, 2004, pp. 59–63, www.neurology-asia.org/articles/20042_059.pdf.

[37] WHO. “Variola Virus Repository Safety Inspections.” Www.who.int, www.who.int/activities/variola-virus-repository-safety-inspections.

[38] Pelley, Lauren. “WHO Names Mpox a Global Health Emergency for 2nd Time as Virus Surges in Africa.” CBC, 14 Aug. 2024, www.cbc.ca/news/health/who-mpox-global-health-emergency-1.7294434.

[39] World Health Organization. “History of Smallpox Vaccination.” Www.who.int, World Health Organization, 2024, www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/history-of-vaccination/history-of-smallpox-vaccination.

[40] World Health Organization. “Mpox.” Who.int, World Health Organization: WHO, 26 Aug. 2024, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mpox.