Historical Context: The Plague

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What was the plague?

Plague was a common disease in medieval and early modern times; the disease had no known cure and the death rate was high among those who contracted it. There were two different types of plague and they were spread by different means.

Bubonic plague:

Spread from fleas from black rats

After being bit by a flea carrying the bacilli germ, large swelling developed called buboes

These appeared in the armpits and the groin

Fever and severe headache followed, before boils developed all over the body

Death occurred in a few days

Pneumonic plague:

This plague spread by people breathing and coughing germs onto each other

Breathing problems occurred as the disease attacked the lungs

People coughed up blood and death occurred rapidly

This plague was more dangerous as it circulated by direct contact with other humans

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Plague Outbreaks

Medieval Period:

The most devastating singular episode for the bubonic plague was the Black Death

This devastated Europe from 1346-1353

The origins of the outbreak came from the plains of Central Asia

Between one third and two thirds of the British population died from the plague from 1348-1349

Further outbreaks occurred over the next 300 years:

1471: 10-20% of the population died

1479-1480: an estimated 20% of the population died

Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries:

Outbreaks of the bubonic plague occurred four times in the 16th century

The 17th century witnessed a further outbreak in 1603, 1625 and 1636

There were 75,000 recorded deaths from these three outbreaks

The worse outbreak came to London in 1665-1666

Over 100,000 people died and London's population was reduced by over one quarter

The cause of the disease was 'Yersinia pestis bacterium'; transmitted through the bite of an infected rat flea

These flies lived on black rats

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The Great Plague in London 1665

This was the largest populated town in Britain and plague deaths were first reported in April and May 1665. By July, the plague was widespread in London. Many who had the option, fled from the city into their countryside estates. For the poor people of London, there was no option but to stay and brave the epidemic.

The authorities made every effort to contain the epidemic:

Orders to restrict the movement of people in and out of the capital were made but it was difficult to enforce this

Theatres and other places of large public gatherings were closed

A house containing someone suffering from the plague had to be sealed for 40 days with a red cross and words 'Lord have mercy upon us' marked on the door

Dogs and cats were to be caught and killed; people believed they were spreading the disease

All bodies were to be buried at night to reduce the spread of the disease

These measures failed and the disease spread like wildfire during the heat of summer. By the end of 1665, the worst of the plague had occurred. An estimated 70,000-100,000 had died. It was the Great Fire of 1666 that helped cleanse the city of the disease.

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The Great Plague in London 1665

Beliefs about the causes:

It was a punishment from God for the sins of man. People sought forgiveness through prayer and repentance hoping this would spare them of the plague

It was caused by bad air ('miasma')

It was spread by dogs and cats

Medical treatment:

Primitive treatment that relied on herbal remedies, nostrums and charms

Some carried sweet-smelling flowers to get rid of the smell of bad air

Some men began smoking a pipe of tobacco in the hope the smoke would kill off the plague

People believed the bad air spread the infection; doors and windows were shut and people burned rosemary and incense to counteract the bad air

Some took possets, a mixture of boiled milk, ale and bread