Could you please give the post number where I say that is not the case?
The ROUTE of infection was never in dispute. WHEN a person becomes contagious is in dispute.
Free Vulcan posted a very good synopsis. It makes the issue perfectly clear.
Do you agree?
It was rather astonishing given that Vulcan had directly contradicted your statements in #293 with his in #295.
In 293 you wrote (accurately):
The other reason smallpox is difficult to diagnose is that the early symptoms mimic the flu or common cold, and the inital infective stages the rash MAY be confined to only the oral cavity. your 293
The above from you is correct and was my point the entire time. I have no idea why it took you until 293 to admit or understand it.
Vulcan, on the other and contradicts you:
2. The first syptoms of smallpox mimic the flu, however the person is still not contagious at this point.
3. Smallpox first becomes contagious when lesions/pox appear, AFTER the flu-like symptoms have existed for a day or two. Vulcun 295
Certainly people are infectious before lesions and pox occur (unless you are calling the rash confined to the oral cavity "lesion/pox", which would not really be accurate within what is commonly understood as lesion/pox.)
Like I said, I was dumbfounded as to your agreeing with him when just two posts prior you had made a statement that his post directly contradicted.