1.5.2
The Black Death
The Black Death in Britain
The Black Death in Britain
The Black Death was an epidemic that hit Britain in 1348. The disease was a mixture of bubonic plague (spread by fleas on black rats) and pneumonic plague (airborne spread by coughing/sneezing). The plagues could cause death within 2 days of the first symptoms.
Spread of the Black Death
Spread of the Black Death
- The disease began in Asia and spread to Europe on merchant ships.
- At the time, people thought that the epidemic was caused by supernatural things like the position of the stars (or God’s wrath) or natural reasons such as miasmas or humour imbalances.
Fleas
Fleas
- It was actually caused by bacteria in fleas’ stomachs as they lived off the rats.
- These fleas passed on the disease to humans when they bit people.
- As many people lived close to each other, the disease spread quickly.
Remedies for the plague
Remedies for the plague
- Suggested remedies for the Black Death included prayers to appease (satisfy) God.
- Some tried to use herbs to keep them safe from miasma.
- Others tried purging, vomiting and bloodletting to keep humours in balance.
- Others tried to move away or avoid those who had become infected.
Stopping the Black Death
Stopping the Black Death
- Some people thought that the plague was caught from dead bodies. Some towns, like Winchester tried to build cemeteries away from people's homes.
- Some towns like Gloucester tried to stop anyone outside the town entering but this did not succeed. Towns tried to set up quarantine zones, but they didn’t usually work.
- Ships were quarantined and had to wait 40 days before unloading in Britain.
Impact of the Black Death
Impact of the Black Death
Not only did the plague kill huge amounts of the population, it also led to food shortages (and higher food prices because of this). This made life even more difficult for the people who survived the Black Death.
Devastation
Devastation
- 30-45% of the British population are estimated to have died from the Black Death.
- Whole towns were killed by the Black Death.
- The Church was harmed because lots of experienced priests died. New clergymen demanded higher wages.
Impact on peasants
Impact on peasants
- The Black Death killed lots of workers. Peasants asked for higher wages and moved around to earn higher wages.
- The cost of buying land fell because of the lower population and this allowed some peasants to buy land.
- The 1349 Ordinance of Labourers tried to stop peasants moving around so much.
- Some historians think these kinds of measures and the Black Death contributed to the Peasants’ Revolt in 1381.
The end of the Black Death?
The end of the Black Death?
- The worst of the Black Death was over by 1350.
- But plagues continued for centuries. The worst example was the Great Plague of 1665.
1Medicine Stands Still
1.1Ancient Egyptian Approaches to Medicine
1.2Ancient Greek Medicine
1.3Medieval Medicine
1.4Religion & Medicine
1.5Public Health in the Middle Ages
2The Beginnings of Change
2.1The Impact of the Renaissance on Britain
2.2Treating Illnesses in the Renaissance
3A Revolution in Medicine
3.1The Development of Germ Theory & its Impact
3.2A Revolution in Surgery
4Modern Medicine
4.1Modern Treatment of Disease
4.2New Diseases & Treatments in the 20th Century
5Themes in Public Health
Jump to other topics
1Medicine Stands Still
1.1Ancient Egyptian Approaches to Medicine
1.2Ancient Greek Medicine
1.3Medieval Medicine
1.4Religion & Medicine
1.5Public Health in the Middle Ages
2The Beginnings of Change
2.1The Impact of the Renaissance on Britain
2.2Treating Illnesses in the Renaissance
3A Revolution in Medicine
3.1The Development of Germ Theory & its Impact
3.2A Revolution in Surgery
4Modern Medicine
4.1Modern Treatment of Disease
4.2New Diseases & Treatments in the 20th Century
5Themes in Public Health
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