The Black Death 1348

Impact of the Plague in Medieval Medicine

Mr McDonald

The Plague Arrives

The Plague arrived in 1348 from Eastern Europe/Asia.

People became rapidly ill:TemperatureHeadaches and vomitingLumps (Buboes) on the groin and armpitsBruising followed by the Buboes bursting and

either death or survival.70% died

What caused it?

A disease carried on fleas on the rats of trading ships brought it to England.

There were tow types of plague – bubonic and pneumonic.

Pneumonic was spread not by fleas but by sneezing!

Causes

The effects of the plague were enormous. Many people saw it as a punishment by God. Others saw it caused by planets or by foul

air. Whatever reason they gave they knew it was

contagious but had no real clue was caused it.

Black Death

God and the Devil

Invisible fumes or poisons

Humours out of balance

Common sense – bad

air

Planets and Stars

Task

Complete tasks 2a and 2b from page 64 – your diagram needs to be in a new page to include information from the sources.

Cures

Different causes/treatments were used to combat the Plague.Bleeding and Purges of the body.Avoiding foul smelling areasFumigating areasCleaning up town areas – done by the Lord Mayor of

London.Flagellants – people punishing themselves for their

sins to avoid the plague.Killing Jews

What does this mean? The plague shows that there was still a following

of natural and supernatural approaches to medicine and the cause of disease.

The ideas that the disease was caused by foul air, and imbalanced humours show a belief in the natural approaches to medicine.

However the belief that the Plague was caused by God and the Planets showed that supernatural ideas were still held to be important.