Where did the name Black Death come from?
The disease was named Black Death in England because of the black spots that appeared on the skin of the victums. Most people died in great pain after just 3 days.
Where and when did the Black Death start?
The life stealing disease originated in central Asia/China 1333 and began spreading to other countries and towns.
Where did the Disease spread?
The plague spread throughout Europe, England and Asia. It also travelled to Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Russia, Poland, France, India, Italy and Sclotland.
What started the disease/ How did the disease spread so far/ What do rats have to do with the Black Death?
The Black Death started through rats who were infested with fleas. Because of the fleas unusual digestive system, some of their stomach contents were regurgitated and mixed with anothers blood when bitten. Therefore when an infected flea bit a rat, then the rat became infected with the plague. When a human was infected they could then carry the plague by contact or the air. The rats were great transportation for the fleas and because of the rats nature they were able to hide, stow away on ships and also wagons. This is how the plague spread so rapidly.
What did getting the disease involve/ what symptoms did they get?
Firstly the victums would get a headach followed by chills, fevers and maybe vomiting and nausa. They go pain in the legs, arms and on the inner thighs. Then after a day or two hard swellings would start to appear on the neck, under the arms and on the inner thighs, which would then start to ooze pus and blood. When the swellings(buboes) appeared then came the stage where the person would begin to bleed internally with blood in the urine and poo. Black boils and spots would appear all over the body with the victum in great pain. They would die after one week of catching the plague.
What parts of the body were affected?
Most of the body parts were affected by the disease at some stage.
These included:
Internally, groin, arms, armpits, legs
Basically all over the body.
Why did the doctors look like they did?
The clothes and assories the plague doctors wore and used were'nt invented until around the 17th century (1600's). The doctors looked like they did to give some level of protection against the plague or even scare it away. Every piece of clothing they wore and essentials they used had a role to play.
HAT- They thought the wide brimmed hat would protect them from bacteria.
BIRD MASK- People at that time pinned birds to the plague, therefore the doctors may have thought dressing up in a bird like mask, the plague would be transferred from the patient to the mask piece. Herbs and spices were also filled in the beak to prevent smelling the stench of unburied bodies. The doctors thought the red glass eye pieces would make them imune to evil.
BLACK OVERCOAT- The coat was used to show little skin as possible. It was also covered with a hard white fat on the kidneys and loins of sheep and cattle called suet. There was that or they used wax. It was used to draw the plague away from the flesh of the infected or stop it. It was also thought to have been used to prevent the body fluids from sticking to the coat.
LEATHER BREECHES- Often worn by fishermen, they used breeches to protect their legs and groin from infection.
WOODEN STICK- The stick was used to direct people and to exaimin patients without contact.
What treatment did they use?
Treatments and cures they used upon the disease included:
Lancing the buboes
Blood Diet Vinegar and rose water treatment Witchcraft Plague Medicine Sanitation |
The swellings would be cut open to allow the disease to leave the body. A mixture of tree resin, roots of white lillies and dried human excrement would be applied to the cut open buboes.
The disease must be in the blood. Therefore the veins leading to the heart should be cut open allowing the disease to leave the body. An ointment made of clay and violets would be applied where the cuts had been made. Don't eat food that goes off easily and smells bad like meat, cheese and fish. Instead eat bread, fruits and vegetables. If a person is infected by the disease they must be put to bed. They should be washed with vinegar and rose water. Place a hen near the swelling to draw out the disease from the body. To recover, drink a glass of your urine two times a day. Roast the shells of freshly laid eggs. Ground the shells into a powder, chop up leaves and petals of marigold flowers. Put this into a pot of good ale. Add treacle and warm over a fire. Drink this mixture every morning and night. Human and animal waste should be cleaned off the streets. It should be taken out of the village by a cart and burnt. Bodies should be buried in deep pits outside the village and their clothes burnt also. |