Abstract In this paper a medieval village has been evaluated for class stratification, health policy, and the nature of the bubonicplague in the Middle Ages. The paper explains that by representing a fictional citizen of this town, one can begin to understand the lack of medical science and policy initiatives that eventually led to a wide spread epidemic in medieval society. The paper then analyzes the various aspects of the bubonicplague within this study of life in a medieval town during the year 1349. The paper also explores how, by being unaware of the nature of the disease and its symptoms, medieval communities were annihilated by a lack of quarantine policies that would have prevented more infections.
From the Paper "The issue of class hierarchy in our town makes virtual servants or "vassals" to our Lord or landowner on the hill. We make sure to farm the local area to provide food for our Lord, and he--in return--makes sure that we are protected with his various knights from other landowners. Also, the Church is prominent in our town, and we have the local clergy on a neighboring hill--making sure that prayers are being said to remove the plague from our village. However, although a peasant--like myself--might view the Roman Catholic Church as an institution that would help the poor and suffering, the clergy have monastic retreats in the countryside, in which, they do nothing to help solve our medical dilemma."
Abstract This paper examines the history, economics and politics of the BubonicPlague and AIDS. The paper explores the art and literature that sprung forth from both these epidemics. The paper contends that there are many similarities between the BubonicPlague and AIDS. The paper elaborates that they both caught the world by surprise and initially no cures were known for either disease. The paper draws further parallels, stating that both diseases spread quickly and superstitions and myth surrounded the causes of both diseases. The paper also claims that bigotry and ignorance prevailed in both cases.
From the Paper "The fourth law was "to avoid the foul stench which the bodies of the dead give off they have provided and ordered that any ditch in which a dead body is to be buried must be dug under ground to a depth of 2 1/2 braccia by the measure of the city of Pistoia" ("Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe"). The fifth law "provided and ordered that no person of whatever condition or status or authority shall dare or presume to return or to carry to the city of Pistoia any dead body in or out of a casket or in any manner"("Plague and Public Health in Renaissance Europe"). There were 25 ordinances passed to protect the citizens from the spread of the plague. Unlike in some areas, where bigotry and superstition was the rule, most of the laws were based on common sense. The laws did prevent the spread of the Plague into Pistoia, which is a miracle considering the fate of Florence."
Abstract This paper covers the history of the epidemic of the bacterium that came to be known as the bubonicplague. It begins in 540 A.D., with the first record of its occurrence, and continues to show its from the Mediterranean throughout Europe and Asia. The plague's spread to England in the 1600s led to the first autopsies being conducted and began the search for a cause and cure to this disease. It has virtually been eliminated in our lifetime with only isolated cases occurring, although, there are now fears that it can be isolated and used as a bio-weapon by terrorists in today's world.
From the Paper "Despite of what is thought, the bubonic plague did not end in medieval times. It has kept killing people all the way until today. The next big outbreak after the one in 1665 was in China in 1894. It then spread west to Bombay, India, and in that the time it took to do that the disease killed millions of people. The next couple of decades after that outbreak, scientists were able to identify and classify the disease and its history. However it could at times be difficult for the scientists because symptoms of the bubonic plague often resembled those of other diseases common in the hot climate of the jungles in India."
Tags: black, bubonic, death, pestis, plague, yersinia, vaccination, cure, bacteria, microscopes, scientists, bio-terrorists, bacteria, europe, studies, bitten, flea, cell, immune, system, jungles, india, brazil, united, states, military, research
Abstract This paper discusses the causes and effects of the Black Plague or the Black Death, as it was known to Europeans (or formerly known as the BubonicPlague). It describes the nature of the Black Plague and its effects on individuals and communities. The paper then discusses how the Black Plague contributed to the end of feudalism in Europe.
From the Paper "Europeans in the middle ages tended to be superstitious in their religious beliefs. As they searched for something or someone to blame for the wrath of the plague, all of their praying and blind faith did not protect them from being infected. Comets, earthquakes, astrological configurations and the sin of humankind were all examined as possible causes. Interestingly, as Christians watched as their cardinals, bishops, priests and other clergy fall dead, just as vulnerable as anyone else, the religious strength of the feudal structure began to decline, as well. It is thought that these events may have ignited the Protestant Reformation (Uretsky)."
Abstract The paper relates that the Black Death of the Middle Ages was the bubonicplague, a form of plague that is spread by rats. The paper describes the virulence of the plague that was seen as an evil force over which human beings had no control. The paper examines the mechanism of the disease. The paper reveals that the plague is not only a disease of the past; there is concern that the bubonicplague could be employed as a weapon by a rogue state or a terrorist organization.
From the Paper "The organism that causes bubonic plague is well known today. The plague is caused by a bacillus called Yersinia pestis that is transmitted by the flea. The plague is primarily a disease of rodents, and epidemics with human begins begin with contact with the fleas of infected rodents. The two primary forms of the disease in the human being are the bubonic plague, the most common form in the Middle Ages, and which is characterized by the swelling of the lymph nodes, and pneumonic plague, with the extensive involvement of the lungs. The plague is spread from rodents to human beings in crowded urban areas. In the fourteenth century, the disease was known as the Black Death, and some plague infections were bubonic and some were pneumonic."
This essay talks about society before, during and after the Black Plague that swept through Europe in 1348. It covers a broad range of cultural aspects affected from class structure to medical theories to religion to city planning.
Abstract This paper discusses society in medieval Europe and the effects the Black Plague of 1348 had on it. The writer discusses society beforehand, noting the population explosion shortly before it hit. The writer briefly talks about the pathology of the disease and discusses some theories as to what the Black Plague was actually caused by (recent theories rule out the bubonicplague alone). The paper also discusses the impact the plague had on medical theories and also the method used by doctors and surgeons. The paper then analyzes the ways in which people of different classes reacted to the plague and the precautions everyday people took to prevent the disease from afflicting them. Noted are also the the religious shifts in dogma, the religious groups that emerged out of the plague and the class system before and after the plague. Lastly the writer discusses the changes in the arts because of the plague, and how it ultimately affected medieval Europe to the point of it stirring the beginnings of the Renaissance almost 200 years later.
From the Paper "To truly understand the devastation caused by the Black Death in the mid-fourteenth century, one need only look at the writing of Agnolo di Tura, a Tuscan chronicler of the time: I do not know where to begin to tell of the cruelty and the pitiless ways. It seemed that almost everyone became stupefied by seeing the pain. And it is impossible for the human tongue to recount the awful truth.... [T]he victims died almost immediately. They would swell beneath the armpits and in their groins and fall over while talking. Father abandoned child, wife husband, one brother another; for this illness seemed to strike through breath and sight?. [T]hey died by the hundreds, both day and night, and all were thrown in those ditches and covered with earth. And as soon as those ditches were filled, more were dug. And I, Agnolo di Tura"buried my five children with my own hands"And so many died that all believed it was the end of the world (qtd. Gottfried 45). This horrific pestilence, wiping out an estimated third of the entire population of Europe, has been claimed by many scholars to mark a transition in medieval society, affecting everything from art to wages to religious thought. The point of this essay is to try and highlight the more obvious trends that arose in post-plague society and to demonstrate how, at the very least, these trends may be direct effects of arguably the worst natural disaster in recorded history. "
The paper examines the massive effects the black plague had on society: including social, physical, psychological, religious, economical effects, and even influence in art and literature.
2,905 words (approx. 11.6 pages), 7 sources, 2000, $ 86.95
Abstract This paper provides a thorough look at the BubonicPlague, the deadly pandemic that continuously reappeared all throughout Europe until the Seventeenth century, leaving behind death, devastation, and economic disaster. The author discusses how the plague was transmitted, symptoms, the versions of the plague, the plague's impacted on religion, and how it influenced the culture of the times-literature, art, and superstitious behavior. The paper also looks at the staggering number of dead that the Black Death claimed as it swept across the European continent.
From the Paper "The Black Death was a time of death and destruction to all of society and its surroundings during the Fourteenth Century and beyond. According to Chester David Rail, "The sudden onset of human plague in southeastern Europe and the Middle East in the winter of 1346-1347 seems to have marked the beginning of the plague", Rail, 11. The Black Plague was a deadly pandemic continuously reappearing all throughout Europe until the Seventeenth century, leaving behind death, devastation, and economic disaster. The Black Death, also known as the Black Plague or the Bubonic Plague, originated in the Thirteenth century. The disease originally was transmitted from rat to rat and from rat to man by the bite of rat-fleas. "Bubonic plague may be transmitted from place to place by imported fleas, which are carried by people"in their baggage or in merchandise?, Wilson , 2. Constant travel and trade by Europeans with other countries exposed Europe to the plague. Its symptoms were exhibited by buboes, which are hard, painful, swellings of lymphatic glands usually affecting the groin area or under the armpits and around the neck."
Abstract This paper discusses the impact of the Black Death (bubonicplague) in the Middle East and North Africa. It begins by giving a brief overview of the plague, its symptoms and how it spread. In particular, the paper focuses on the social and economic effects of the plague and emphasizes the plague's effects on North Africa and the Middle East in the 13th Century.
From the Paper "The Black Death, also known as the plague, was, in effect, what we now call an epidemic. The plague was considered a pandemic because it covered such a wide area. The plague is an infectious fever caused by a bacillus with the scientific name Bacillus Pasteurella. High fevers, chills and then dilirium characterize the bubonic plague. The lymph nodes swell and become painful. The swellings are called buboes, hence the name bubonic plague. Death from this form usually came in about a week. Wild rodents carried the disease, the black rat in particular, and later the larger and stronger relative, known as the brown, or Norway rat. A connection is mentioned between the rats and the plague in the Hindu Holy Book, Bhagavata Purana."
Abstract This paper looks at the book by David Herlihy: The Black Death and the Transformation of the West and how it discusses the modern view on the outbreak of bubonicplague in the west, its history and how Merlihy himself feels the plague was spread, it social consequences and what other aspects can be attributed to the plague.
Abstract This paper discusses how historical epidemics like the bubonicplague in Europe in the fourteenth century, the influenza outbreak of 1918-1920, smallpox during the 1960s and AIDS have impacted modern public health care policy and protocols.
From the Paper " Jonsen and Stryker argue that both historically and in moderntime's epidemics have been responsible for having a monumental impact on the following social institutions. The public health system ..."
Tags: health care, public health policy, epidemics, plague, sanitation, clean water, AIDS, bubonicplague, influenza, smallpox
Abstract This paper focuses primarily on "the" plague, which caused thousands of deaths throughout Europe during the 6th and 14th centuries and which currently remains a public health problem. In addition, the author discusses six modern plagues, such as the west Nile virus and AIDS. The author describes the three types of traditional plague, as well as the treatment, locations, control and preventative medication for plagues. The author also reviews the use of the plague as a biological weapon.
Table of Contents:
From the Past to the Future
A Purported Persistent Problem
"Strange New Disease"
West Nile Virus
Six Modern Plagues Mad Cow Disease
HIV/AIDS
Hantavirus
Lyme
New Strain of Salmonella
Contributing Causes of "Modern Plagues" Considered
The Plague, per se
Three Forms of Plague BubonicPlague Septicemic Plague Pneumonic Plague Treatment Regime
Plague around the World
Control Considerations
Preventative Medication
Plague as a Biological Weapon?
From the Paper "A confirmed plague diagnosis triggers reporting requirements to certain health departments, including the Centers for Disease Control, which in turn, reports plague incidents to the World Health Organization. Diagnostic tests to confirm plague include: a complete blood count, a urinalysis, arterial blood gas, peripheral smear looking for Y pestis coccobaccilus, gram stain, cultures of blood, sputum, and bubo aspirate, chest radiography, specialized diagnostic testing, a F1 antigen rapid diagnostic test, Y pestis fluorescent antibody stain, and a Y pestis fluorescent antibody titer."
Abstract This paper discusses the history of the plague, stating that the "Black Death" that gripped Medieval Europe was not the first reported incident of a plague epidemic, which was actually first recorded in AD 541. The paper also talks about the causes of these mass epidemics, which modern scientists now understand as being the living conditions in Medieval Europe, including overcrowded conditions and a lack of hygiene. However, as the paper analyzes, plagues are still found in modern times because the plague could be transmitted by almost any mammal, since fleas are pests that plague almost every mammal species. Specifically, this paper looks into the different transmission avenues of the plague virus, as well as the three different forms of the plague: bubonicplague, pneumonic plague, and septicemic plague and the symptoms of each. Furthermore, treatment regimes, geographic areas of infection and prevention techniques are discussed in this paper. All references for this paper are contained in the footnotes provided.
From the Paper "The treatment regime is the same, regardless of the type of plague involved. When plague is suspected, the patient is to be immediately isolated. A suspected plague diagnosis can be made from a combination of symptoms and risk factors. The risk factors include living in an area of known plague foci, contact with sick animals (including employment as a veterinarian or in a similar position), wilderness activity, fleabite, or recent plague in the community. Furthermore, a plague diagnosis triggers reporting requirements to certain health departments, including the Centers for Disease Control. The Centers for Disease Control reports plague incidents to the World Health Organization. Laboratory tests can confirm a plague diagnosis. Diagnostic tests include: a complete blood count, a urinalysis, arterial blood gas, peripheral smear looking for Y pestis coccobaccilus, gram stain, cultures of blood, sputum, and bubo aspirate, chest radiography, specialized diagnostic testing, a F1 antigen rapid diagnostic test, Y pestis fluorescent antibody stain, and a Y pestis fluorescent antibody titer."
Abstract In this article, the writer discusses that throughout history the Black Plague has emerged in some societies and then laid dormant, only to become active again, killing massive numbers of populations. The writer points out that primarily carried by rats and the fleas that feed from them, the Black Plague has been cited as existing in a growing number of cases in modern times, although its roots began centuries earlier. The writer notes that there have been several pandemics of the Black Plague, which is the most devastating infection that the world has ever known. The writer maintains that statistics indicate that the Black Plague still exists and is increasing in the numbers of the population that it kills each year. The writer concludes that it is for this reason society, medical science and those that lead nations must begin to act on the plague in order to save millions more within societies today and in the future.
Outline:
Introduction
Beginning of the Plague Emergence
Affects on Society
How it Spread
Second Mass Occurrence
Origins
Countries it Impacted
Affects on Society
New Types
London
Appearance in London
How it Impacted Society
How it Ended
Modern Society
Existence of the Plague in the 20th Century
Existence of the Plague in Modern Society
Statistics
Conclusion
From the Paper "In the 1300s the Black Plague emerged in Asia and quickly spread throughout Europe and once again in Italy. This pandemic was directly related to the trade that existed between these countries, as it followed the waterways that carried goods from one port to another. In this pandemic the plague was capable of taking in excess of 20 million lives and adversely impacted all civilizations that it spread to. This occurred through the inability of farmers to harvest their crops and workers to produce goods that were required to maintain businesses. Bishop contends that the affect of the plague on the populations where it existed included families abandoning their children, physicians refusing to care for patients and the Catholic Church proclaiming massive forgiveness for all who died because of the lack of clergy to hear the confessions of the dead."
From the Paper "Most people associate bubonic plague with the dreaded "Black Death" epidemic which took place in Europe during the fourteenth century. However, although they are comparatively rare, cases of bubonic plague still occur sporadically in various parts of the world today, including the United States (McEvedy, 1988, p. 118). One of the most characteristic symptoms of the plague is a "bubo," a large growth on the body caused by the swelling of a lymph gland. Buboes usually appear on the groin, neck, or armpit of the victim (Forgotten, but not gone, 1989, p. 84). Other possible symptoms of bubonic plague include: "shivering, fever, vomiting, headache, giddiness, intolerance to light, pain in the abdomen, back, and limbs, insomnia, apathy, and delirium" (Matossian, 1989, p. 48). The plague also causes hemorrhaging under the skin, which results in black splotches appearing on the..."
Abstract This paper examines Albert Camus's "The Plague", a tale about a small town's struggle with the infection of bubonicplague and the way in which they deal with this affliction. As well as being a well-written tale of natural calamity, the author, Albert Camus, also wrote ?The Plague? as an allegory for Germany's occupation of France during the Second World War. It shows how, in this allegory, Camus uses many symbols to represent occurrences involving this invasion. It also analyzes how Camus had several purposes for writing this novel; firstly, he wished to document his perspective of Germany's attack on France, and secondly, he wished to provide some warnings to humanity regarding the good and evil and correct and incorrect reactions in disastrous situations.
From the Paper "If Albert Camus had documented his opinions on the French government's management of the German invasion, he surely would have been persecuted. Instead, he created an allegory where he used symbols which paralleled with realistic events. The first of these important symbols were the rats which suddenly appeared on the streets of Oran symbolising Germany's unexpected invasion of France. The next symbol was the serum used to combat the plague which, when eventually arriving in Oran, was too little, too late. This symbolises France's own need to call for reinforcements, but upon arrival, they were too little, too late. The final, important symbol can be seen in Camus? portrayal of the Prefect. During the outset of the Plague, Dr. Rieux called for strict measures to be taken. However, the Prefect and his advisors did not want to believe that their town was infected by the plague and delayed any action which would ensure against mass infection."
