1. Chapter Two Causes and cures?
Medieval people did not know about germs causing disease. They did not understand that plague was spread by rats and fleas. They thought that people’s bodies were poisoned.
If the swellings burst and the poison came out people sometimes survived. It seemed sensible to draw out the poison.

2. What is happening in this picture???

3. People had three main ideas about what caused the plague!
Look at these pictures and see
if you can guess the 3 things
medieval people thought caused
the Black Death!

4. People had three main ideas about what caused the plague!
Draw a medieval face in the centre of your page. Add
three thought bubbles around them and fill them with
ideas about what caused the Black Death
Bad Air
The evil planets of Mars and Saturn have moved closer together. This has turned the air bad. If we breath in the bad air we will catch the plague !
Religion
God has sent the plague because he is angry with us. We have spent too much time being bad by gambling, fighting and drinking !
Contagion
The plague passes from person to person. Plague sores give off a terrible smell. If you breath it then you will catch the plague

5. Medieval cure number 1
Can you guess
How this was
Used to cure
The Black
Death?
The swellings should be softened with figs and cooked onions. The onions should be mixed with yeast and butter. Then open the swellings with a knife.

6. Medieval cure number 2
Can you guess
How this was
Used to cure
The Black
Death?
Take a live frog and put its belly on the plague sore. The frog will swell up and burst. Keep doing this with further frogs until they stop bursting. Some people say that a dried toad will do the job better.