The Bubonic Plague, or Black Death, was the quintessential disease epidemic. It ravaged Europe from the 14th century until the 18th century. It was extremely virulent and killed without discretion. Many social and cultural factors allowed it to do the damage it did, and it altered the course of history. But it is not only an epidemic of the past. There have been numerous plague outbreaks in modern times. The plague transcends time as a deadly disease.
During the plague outbreak known as the Black death during the 14th century, there were several societal factors that may have contributed to its spread and deadliness. One factor is war. At this time, the Mongol Empire was spreading from the Far East into Western Europe. Some historians and scientists believe that the plague was first spread to Europe during the Siege of Caffa. Legend goes that the retreating Mongol army launched corpses infected with plague over the city walls. More than likely, however, rats carrying infected fleas entered the city.
In addition to war, trade was another factor in the Black Death. Numerous trade routes were opened from the Mongol Empire from Asia into Europe. This facilitated the spread of the plague from Asia. Also, seafaring trade may have contributed to the spread of the plague through the rats aboard the ships.
Another factor in the deadliness of the Black Death was a lack of sanitation in European cities. There was a rise in major cities around this time, and many people came to live in these cities. They soon became crowded and filthy places, the perfect conditions for rats to live. And with the rats came fleas infected with Y. pestis.
When the outbreak of plague became evident, there were many assumptions about its nature. Many of the ‘educated elite’ believed it was the result of a miasma or the malalignment of the planets. Religious-minded people believed the plague was God’s curse on them for their great sin. Some even blamed the Jews, believing it would make God happy to get rid of them.
With the plague came several prevention strategies. This time period saw the rise of religious fanatics, most notably the flagellants, who believed suffering like Christ would appease God and end the plague. There were also several early medical remedies for the plague. These remedies included bloodletting, treatment with different herbs and spices, and even fire.
Some resorted to killing the Jews, who they believed were the cause of the plague. If they were not killed, many were forced to leave. Even non-Jews would leave their homes, especially the nobles, who would flee to their country estates to seclude themselves. Some would just abandon their families in an act of self-preservation.
The concept of quarantine was developed during this time. The word quarantine originally comes from Italian for 40. Ships were forced to stay at anchor for 40 days before coming to port. Lazarettos were created for people with the plague to all stay in one place to be treated. Some cities enacted ordinances to create a ‘Cordon Sanitaire,’ in which sick people were forcibly kept separate from the healthy.
When it was all said and done, the plague had many lasting impacts on society and culture. One effect was that many Jews were killed or scattered from their homes. Many went to Poland, where they were accepted.
In terms of religion, some say there was a “privatization of religion,” where the wealthy would hire private chaplains. For some, their faith in God increased after enduring this great trial. Others resorted to science.
In medicine, the physician Guy de Chauliac made major contributions, including his famous Chirurgia Magna. In this several volume collection, Guy de Chauliac records many of his medical observations, including his experience treating the plague. His work influenced medicine for hundreds of years afterward.
After the Black Death, the economy of Western Europe flourished. Many people had died, so there were less people to feed and compete with for business. This led to prosperity for those left alive.
The plague also impacted the established social order. Serfs could now make enough money to support themselves due to a bolstered economy. This, combined with the lack of a labor force due to the plague’s death toll forced many nobles to have to work for themselves. This also contributed to the violence which followed in an attempt by the nobles to forcibly obtain a work force and gain new land.
One final impact the plague had on society and culture was on education. The new economic prosperity after the plague brought more time for education. Both the arts and the sciences prospered. New inventions were created, many of which helped supplement the lacking work force. This time of learning and creativity ultimately resulted in the Renaissance, which brought about many advances in the arts and sciences.
Though the Black Death is long past us, the plague is still relevant today. We have been able to learn much about the plague and have witnessed several new outbreaks.
Today, we know a lot more about the plague. The plague bacteria Y. pestis was originally isolated by Yersin while in Beijing. We have learned that plague is spread by respiratory droplets and direct contact. There are three types of plague, including bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic.
The plague is not just a foreign disease but is found here in the United States. It was first brought over from China, which led to much anti-Chinese discrimination. It has spread mostly throughout the southwest and regularly infects rodents such as prairie dogs and ground squirrels.
Several control measures have curbed the spread of the plague during modern outbreaks. One control measure is killing rats. During an outbreak in Philadelphia, the health department “went to war” with the rats in the city, employing people to collect rats and kill them. They were able to use the dead rats for dissection, where they were able to find if they were infected with Y. pestis. In addition to catching rats, quarantine was still practiced. Better sanitation also helped contribute to keeping the plague at bay. Finally, the modern use of antibiotics helped effectively treat plague victims.
In very recent memory, Madagascar was hit with an outbreak in 2009 after it resurfaced in the 1990s. There are several factors that affected this recent outbreak. One of those factors was a bad healthcare system. This was supplemented, however, with international help, including the World Health Organization. Widespread poverty also contributed to the outbreak of plague. Crowded cities helped facilitate the spread of plague, just as they did during the 14th century. Finally, traditional burial practices were putting family and friends at risk of infection.
The Black Death during the Middle Ages was the result of many cultural and societal factors coming to a head. In the end, it greatly impacted the course of history. Though this occurred so long ago, the plague is still present with us today. Continued research is needed in order to say ahead of the next plague outbreak.
Help Received: https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/historyquarantine.html, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3559034/, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Guy-de-Chauliac, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_de_Chauliac, Bubonic Plague History Channel documentary from class, Plague PPT from class, Echoes of Ebola as plague hits Madagascar article, Spellcheck, https://fathertheo.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/black-death-in-tourinai-1349.jpg for image 1, https://www.urofrance.org/sites/default/files/fileadmin/medias/histoire/urologie-france/DE-CHAULIAC-Guy_500x600.jpg for image 2
