The Black Death
The Bubonic Plague, otherwise known as the Black Death, was the most devastating pandemic in human history. The disease is thought to have originated in China, where during the 14th century it killed half of the population, while in Europe it killed a third of the population. In fact, it took Europe 150 years to recover from such a high mortality (Wein p1). The cause of the disease is a bacillus, Yesinia pestis, which infects the rodent’s bloodstream, and after death, passes on to its next target, either rodent or human. There are two types of the illnesses, bubonic and pneumonic. Bubonic form of the disease occurs from the transmission of the disease from human interactions and results in swellings called buboes, which form …show more content…
Before the Plague, due to the overpopulation, the feudal system was very strong, while the peasants worked in very harsh conditions for low pay. After the outbreak of the disease, workers started to demand better working conditions, and better pay which weakened the feudal system which also raised the standard of living of the poor. According to archaeological findings, before the Plague, peasants relied on clay pots for cooking, yet after the epidemic there is evidence of usage of metal cookware (Gunnel p1). In England, the wages rose from 20 to 40 percent over a 20 year period after the pandemic, giving the peasants more power (Routt p1).There was no authority to control the rest of the population during the Plague and so the poor, sensing the freedom, disobeyed the laws set by the government. After the Black Death, the authorities of many European countries, afraid of losing power, started to pass laws to control the poor. For example, the Sumptuary Law (1363) in England decreed the quality and colour of clothing of people in different social classes (Beaumont p1). The Ordinance of Labourers, also issued in England in 1349, prevented labourers from getting higher wages than the average set by the government (Beaumont p1). After the Plague the workers finally got their freedom and many attempts of the government to take it away were followed by revolts of the peasants. 35 years after …show more content…
The realization of the mistakes of professionals, of the Fourteenth Century, has led to a re-evaluation of past medical practices. The Plague had caused many people to wonder about the cause of the disease. Some doctors thought the cause of the disease was the loss of equilibrium of blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile, while others that it was the corruption of the four main elements: earth, water, air and fire. (Streissguth 117). Many other physicians thought the disease passed through the eyes. (Streissguth 120). This theory is very interesting, because for the first time people start thinking that diseases can be contagious. Some of the treatments of the disease would be strapping of wild chicken to treat buboes, drinking potions laced with mercury, arsenic and ground horn from mythical unicorn (Anderson p1). After the Plague, the doctors started to re-evaluate their past medical practices and started to improve sanitary conditions. The countries around the world started to establish committees of public health and garbage collection services. In Italy, they started to oversee the disposal of bodies, supervise basic sewage, and disinfect houses of the sick with burning pitch and sulphur. Milan was barely affected by the disease because of the effective, but debatable measures taken by the authorities (Anderson p1). They sealed three houses of the sick,
The Bubonic Plague, otherwise known as the Black Death, was the most devastating pandemic in human history. The disease is thought to have originated in China, where during the 14th century it killed half of the population, while in Europe it killed a third of the population. In fact, it took Europe 150 years to recover from such a high mortality (Wein p1). The cause of the disease is a bacillus, Yesinia pestis, which infects the rodent’s bloodstream, and after death, passes on to its next target, either rodent or human. There are two types of the illnesses, bubonic and pneumonic. Bubonic form of the disease occurs from the transmission of the disease from human interactions and results in swellings called buboes, which form …show more content…
Before the Plague, due to the overpopulation, the feudal system was very strong, while the peasants worked in very harsh conditions for low pay. After the outbreak of the disease, workers started to demand better working conditions, and better pay which weakened the feudal system which also raised the standard of living of the poor. According to archaeological findings, before the Plague, peasants relied on clay pots for cooking, yet after the epidemic there is evidence of usage of metal cookware (Gunnel p1). In England, the wages rose from 20 to 40 percent over a 20 year period after the pandemic, giving the peasants more power (Routt p1).There was no authority to control the rest of the population during the Plague and so the poor, sensing the freedom, disobeyed the laws set by the government. After the Black Death, the authorities of many European countries, afraid of losing power, started to pass laws to control the poor. For example, the Sumptuary Law (1363) in England decreed the quality and colour of clothing of people in different social classes (Beaumont p1). The Ordinance of Labourers, also issued in England in 1349, prevented labourers from getting higher wages than the average set by the government (Beaumont p1). After the Plague the workers finally got their freedom and many attempts of the government to take it away were followed by revolts of the peasants. 35 years after …show more content…
The realization of the mistakes of professionals, of the Fourteenth Century, has led to a re-evaluation of past medical practices. The Plague had caused many people to wonder about the cause of the disease. Some doctors thought the cause of the disease was the loss of equilibrium of blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile, while others that it was the corruption of the four main elements: earth, water, air and fire. (Streissguth 117). Many other physicians thought the disease passed through the eyes. (Streissguth 120). This theory is very interesting, because for the first time people start thinking that diseases can be contagious. Some of the treatments of the disease would be strapping of wild chicken to treat buboes, drinking potions laced with mercury, arsenic and ground horn from mythical unicorn (Anderson p1). After the Plague, the doctors started to re-evaluate their past medical practices and started to improve sanitary conditions. The countries around the world started to establish committees of public health and garbage collection services. In Italy, they started to oversee the disposal of bodies, supervise basic sewage, and disinfect houses of the sick with burning pitch and sulphur. Milan was barely affected by the disease because of the effective, but debatable measures taken by the authorities (Anderson p1). They sealed three houses of the sick,