MTT: Medieval: The Black Death

Features of Life

• Historians think that the plague arrived in England during the summer of 1348.

• The plague spread quickly during the winter of 1348-1349 to the north of England.

• By 1350, nearly the whole of Britain was infected with the plague.

• At the end of 1350, nearly two and a half million people were dead!

• There was no central government and the catholic church were the main power in Britain at the time.

Ideas about the cause of disease

• God

• The theory of the four humours

• Jews poisoning the wells

• Sinful behaviour

• Miasma - bad air

• Misalignment of the planets

Treatment of disease and infection

• The theory of the Opposites

• Herbal remedies

• Kill all the cats and dogs in the town

• Flagellants whipped themselves in the street to apologise to God.

• Prayer

• Bleeding and purging

Symptoms

• Chest pains and breathing troubles.

• Fever, sneezing and coughing up blood.

• Boils and buboes under the armpits and in the groin.

Factors

• Institutions - The Church

• Chance

• Religion and superstition

• Attitude of conservatism

Limitations

• No knowledge of germs, treatments largely ineffective.

• The theory of the four humours and the opposites were incorrect.

• The treatments that involved gathering together would spread the plague further.