Zika Virus, Microcephaly and the Circus

There is a great deal of concern in the USA and elsewhere in the Americas about the Zika virus.  In part of the hysteria expectant mothers or those hoping to become parents are encouraged to not travel to South America where infection is great.  The virus is transmitted by way of Aedes mosquito, which is supposed to be a daytime-active mosquito.  According to the World Health Organization symptoms include mild fever, skin rash and possible joint pain and conjunctivitis that last 7-10 days.  The down side, and it is being seen now, is that in newborns and mothers who have been bitten by the mosquito, there may be a link between the Zika virus and microcephaly.  According to the May Clinic is "Microcephaly (my-kroh-SEF-uh-lee) is a rare neurological condition in which an infant's head is significantly smaller than the heads of other children of the same age and sex. Sometimes detected at birth, microcephaly usually is the result of the brain developing abnormally in the womb or not growing as it should after birth. in which a newborn's head is smaller than normal and the brain may not have developed properly."

This brings two separate thoughts to mind.  The zika virus is not new.  It was originally identified in Uganda in 1947 and is (according to Wikipedia--so take it with a grain of salt) related to yellow fever, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, and West Nile Virus.  Since 1950 the world has seen huge outbreaks of Zika virus in Uganda, the Republic of Tanzania, French Polynesia, Brazil and nineteen other countries in Latin and Central America. 

There has been a rise of microcephaly in infants in those countries in the Americas which is bringing the conjecture that they virus and condition may be linked.  Microcephaly is rare, but not unknown.  Circus side shows in the United States have used people with his condition for entertainment.  Two of the most famous were Schlitze “Schlitzie” Surtees who toured with Barnum and Bailey Circus and did some occasional acting ("Freaks"1932, "Island of Lost Souls" 1932, "Tomorrow's Children" 1934, and "Meet Boston Blackie" 1941), and the second, William Henry Johnson, known better for his stage name with P.T. Barnum (Barnum and Bailey) as "Zip the Pinhead." ('Pinhead' was a derogatory term.)  In more recent times we have the comic strip, 'Zippy the Pinhead' or 'Zippy', by Bill Griffith whose appearance of the main character, Zippy, seems almost an inspired tribute to Mr. Surtees and Mr. Johnson while packing a satirical punch at consumerism, politics and the like.