Before the varicella vaccine became widely available in 1995, some parents would encourage a case of chicken pox in their children, as enduring the disease would cause immunity and it is less dangerous in children than for adults. Decades ago when I was young, no encouragement was needed as chicken pox, measles, and mumps swept through schools every year -the same way smallpox and diphtheria spread before vaccines were developed. Since most children are innoculated these days, it's not so easy to find a case of chicken pox to catch, so some vaccine-wary parents are going online to have it delivered ...by mail!

One post from a Facebook group called “Find a Pox Party in Your Area” (a closed group, but with pictures of its hundreds of members) reads, ”I got a Pox Package in mail just moments ago. I have two lollipops and a wet rag and spit.” Another woman warns, “This is a federal offense to intentionally mail a contagion.” Another woman answers, “Tuck it inside a zip lock baggy and then put the baggy in the envelope : ) Don’t put anything identifying it as pox.” Very clever.

I'm sure employees of the postal service appreciate such subterfuge. The fact remains that the practice is illegal. And didn't we learn back in the '80s that sharing bodily fluids with strangers is dangerous? Link

(Image credit: Jelene Morris)