14th Century Disease

Death was a friendly neighbor to those living at the turn of the fourteenth century when rats carried a flesh eating disease across the ocean into Europe. Remember that old nursery rhyme, "Ring Around The Rosy"? It comes from plague time, when flowers were used to mask the stench. (Charles L. Mee Jr.) In the chaos of the Bubonic Plague, commonly refered to as the, "Black Death", fear of a dark and terrible end caused mass hysteria. Brother turned upon brother, and Europe almost destroyed itself. In this chaos not only was the disease infectious, but fear and panic itself ate the people alive from the inside out. This highly contagious affliction killed off over two thirds of the population (EyeWitness), and caused an outbreak of anti semitism …show more content…
This highly contagious disease causes fever and a painful swelling of the lymph glands called buboes (Wide Open Doors). It also causes red spots that later turn black. Needless to say it was impossible to hide the infection from view. 25 million people died in just under five years. Itallian writer Boccaccio said victims, "ate lunch with their friends and dinner with their ancestors in paradise". Of course by this Boccaccio means that one second a person could feel fine and the next be laying down dead in a gutter. Once infected the victim has up to a week to live. There are three types of infections connected to the plague, the first being the obvious outward infection. The second was a respiratory infection, this being much more painful and less obvious to the public eye. The victim could be infected simply by breathing the same air as an infected person. Life expectancy was about two days for these afflicted individuals. The third and final infection was the septicemic, which attacked the blood system. Most victims were not fortunate enough to recieve a proper burial, or even a grave for that matter. Bodies were thrown by the hundreds into a large trench until it was full. "The Black Death", was quite the appropriate phrase for this polluted era. In …show more content…
Almost two thirds of the population in Europe died due to disease or anti semetic murder in this chaotic state leaving the event behind as a dark memory in the heart of the world and of Europe. This life threatening, flesh eating virus sucked the light and the will to live right out of anyone infected. In the end, if the disease raveged inside of the victims body, not even their God could save them from the darkand painful end awaiting them. At least they had the light at the end of the tunnel to look foward