The Black Death

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The Black Death

The Black Death had a huge effect on Europe in the Middle Ages. Another name for the Black Death is the plague. This paper is meant to familiarize with the plague and also provide a general idea of what it was like. It will also show some changes that were made because of the plague. It will show how people had to adapt and some measures that were taken against it. Also theories will be shown of how the plague came about.

The Black Death was a very deadly disease. All in all the plague lasted from about 1347-1352. There are three different types of the plague that were thought to all work together in causing the Black Death. These three types are called: Bubonic plague, Septicemic plague, and pneumonic plague. Although they were all thought to work together, the Bubonic and Pneumonic were the worst of the three. (Smith 507)

The plague was contracted in a few ways. One way was from a host carrier. This is where a flea from an infected rat or other rodent would move to a human host, bite the human, and then regurgitate the infected liquid into the humans bloodstream. This was a very potent way of transportation. This way of transportation is most often associated with the Bubonic plague. Another way of contracting the disease was through airborne particles. The Pneumonic plague worked on the lungs, and was projected airborne by coughing or sneezing. An innocent bystander could then contract the disease by simply breathing. This was the most dangerous way of contraction because there is no way to stop the movement of airborne particle. (Nardo 10)

The Plague had many symptoms, which were severe and noticeable. Some of the symptoms are: high fever, rapid pulse, body aches, aching limbs, vomiting of blood, and swelling of lymph nodes in neck, armpits, and groin, which would cause blackish coloring on the skin. This is how the plague got its name the Black Death. The swellings would often burst and death would soon follow. Usually in about 3-4 days after the symptoms show is when death would occur. The symptoms would start to occur usually 1-6 days after infection. So anywhere from about 4-10 days after infection is when death would hit. This is why the plague was so horrible.

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