The Black Death - Structure Introduction Forms of Disease and Transmission Path of the Plague Recurrences Efforts to stop the Plague Quotes on the Black Death Consequences: Economic Social and Psychological Religious Music and Art

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The Black Death Of 1348 To 1350 In Medieval England, the Black Death was to kill 1.5 million people out of an estimated total of 4 million people between1348 and No medical knowledge existed in Medieval England to cope with the disease. After 1350, it was to strike England another six times by the end of the century. Understandably, peasants were terrified at the news that the Black Death might be approaching their village or town. The Black Death is the name given to a deadly plague (often called bubonic plague, but is more likely to be pneumonic plague) which was rampant during the Fourteenth Century. It was believed to have arrived from Asia in late 1348 and caused more than one epidemic in that century – though its impact on English society from 1348 to 1350 was terrible. No amount of medical knowledge could help England when the plague struck. It was also to have a major impact on England’s social structure which lead to the Peasants Revolt of 1381.

Th e flea drinks rat’s blood The bacteria multiplies inside the flea The flea’s stomach is blocked The flea is very hungry The flea voraciously bites a host = a human The flea is unable to satisfy its hunger The flea continues to feed Infected blood carrying the plague bacteria is flowing into the human’s wound The rat dies The flea dies of starvation The human dies

Introduction Epidemic Disease Divider betw. Central and late Middle Ages Illustration From the Toggenburg Bible, 1411

3 Forms of the Disease  Bubonic Plague. painful lymph node swellings, buboes  Septicemic Plague. also called “blood poisoning”, attacked the blood system  Pneumonic Plague. attacked the respiratory system

The Bubonic Plague Painful lymph node swelling, called buboes In groins and armpits Oozing pus and blood Damage to the skin and underlying tissue Dark blotches = acral necrosis  Black Death!

The Bubonic Plague A plague victim reveals the telltale buboe on his leg. From a 14 th Century illumination.

Symptoms of the bubonic Plague Swellings “egg  apple” Fever of degrees F Headaches and Aching joints Nausea and vomiting (of blood) General feeling of malaise Swellings expanding until they burst  death following soon after Whole process: 3-5 days NB: People who didn’t develop swellings invariably died. People with swellings might have a chance. Mortality Rate : % If 40% of population was getting infected, and 80% of them died = mortality rate of 32%

The Pneumonic Plague Second most commonly seen form of the Black Death

The Pneumonic Plague Infected the lungs. Symptoms: Slimy sputum tinted with blood (Sputum = saliva mixed with mucus excreted from the respiratory system) Sputum became free flowing 1-7 days for symptoms to appear Mortality Rate : 90-95%