PANDEMIC: BLACK PLAGUE
BLACK PLAGUE
When COVID started, I think I heard a lot of people joke that it was another Black Plague... Little did they know, it would slightly mirror what was yet to come. Though we have more technology and medicine than when the Black Plague hit in 1347, it is still a scary and horrible thing we are all dealing with today. The Black Plague arrived in Europe, when twelve ships from the Black Sea docked at the port in Messina.
There, most sailors aboard the ships were dead, and those still alive were gravely ill and covered in black boils. Over the next five years, the Black Plague would kill more than 20 million people in Europe—almost one-third of the continent’s population.
The Black Plague originated throughout trade routes in the Near and Far East. The disease struck China, India, Persia and Egypt as well. The Black Plague was known to have started by a certain bacteria called Yersina Pestis. The bacteria traveled from person to person through the air, as well as being bit by infected fleas or rats. Both of these pests could be found almost everywhere in medieval Europe, but they were particularly at home aboard ships of all kinds—which is how the deadly plague made its way through one European port city after another.
The Black Plague attacked the lymphatic system, which resulted in fever, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, terrible aches and pains, and ultimately-- death. The Black Plague was so awful, that even the healthy ones that tried to head to the countryside to escape it were still plagued, because cows, sheep, goats, pigs, and chicken had it as well. Doctors REFUSED to treat patients plagued by this black death. Sailors were ultimately quarantines 30 days on their ships, but increased to 40 days.. The Black Plague ran its course until about the 1350's.
When COVID started, I think I heard a lot of people joke that it was another Black Plague... Little did they know, it would slightly mirror what was yet to come. Though we have more technology and medicine than when the Black Plague hit in 1347, it is still a scary and horrible thing we are all dealing with today. The Black Plague arrived in Europe, when twelve ships from the Black Sea docked at the port in Messina.
There, most sailors aboard the ships were dead, and those still alive were gravely ill and covered in black boils. Over the next five years, the Black Plague would kill more than 20 million people in Europe—almost one-third of the continent’s population.
The Black Plague originated throughout trade routes in the Near and Far East. The disease struck China, India, Persia and Egypt as well. The Black Plague was known to have started by a certain bacteria called Yersina Pestis. The bacteria traveled from person to person through the air, as well as being bit by infected fleas or rats. Both of these pests could be found almost everywhere in medieval Europe, but they were particularly at home aboard ships of all kinds—which is how the deadly plague made its way through one European port city after another.
The Black Plague attacked the lymphatic system, which resulted in fever, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, terrible aches and pains, and ultimately-- death. The Black Plague was so awful, that even the healthy ones that tried to head to the countryside to escape it were still plagued, because cows, sheep, goats, pigs, and chicken had it as well. Doctors REFUSED to treat patients plagued by this black death. Sailors were ultimately quarantines 30 days on their ships, but increased to 40 days.. The Black Plague ran its course until about the 1350's.
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