Could The Black Death Have Happened For These Shocking Reasons?

The black death was sort of a horror movie.

WHAT IS THE BLACK DEATH?

The black death was a 14 century nightmare that few people know about.

If you are neither a historian, a priest nor a health academician, there is a probability that you have never heard about the black death - the worst catastrophe in recorded history.

WHEN DID THE BLACK DEATH HAPPEN?

The Great pestilence as it was called, occurred in the middle ages around 1347 in Europe and spread to other parts of the world.

It is believed to be one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the death of an estimated 60 percent of Europe's population and reducing world population from 450 million to 350-375 million in the 14th century.

It was caused by Yersina perstis, a bacillus carried by fleas that primarily live on rats and other rodents that were common in medieval dwellings.

THE PLAGUE KILLED PEOPLE QUICKLY

It was eventually called the black death because the people that caught it were covered with black boils that oozed pus and blood.

Coughing of blood, swellings in the groin, armpits and neck were common.

It was noted that the plague killed people quickly, within hours or days of infection depending on the strain of the disease.

Since it was highly contagious, people desperately abandoned their sick and dying loved ones.

WHY DID THE BLACK DEATH HAPPEN? 

In the middle ages, medical knowledge was limited and this led to many theories and speculations about what caused the black death. 

People believed the air was bad

The first and most widely circulated theory was that the plague was caused by bad air.

It was believed that the heavens in the form of a conjunction with three planets caused a great pestilence in the air.

Today, this is called the miasma theory. The dead littered everywhere and contributed to the bad air.

Bathing was believed to open the pores, making it easier for bad air to enter and exit the body, spreading the disease.

Consequently, bathing was discouraged.

In contrast, some people believed that bad smell could drive out the plague and kept dung and urine around them.

This helped to spread the disease faster. 

Some thought the Jews poisoned water

It was argued that Jews were to blame.

They were accused of poisoning wells and other water sources in a bid to destroy Christians.

The fact that the Jews were also infected did not matter to the people and they tortured the Jews to confess.

The entire Jewish population were given the choice to convert to Christianity or be burned on rows of stakes.

Thousands of Jews were expelled or killed. 

Some thought it was the price for their sins

It was also believed that the disease was a punishment from God for sins including vanity, fornication, greed, blasphemy, heresy.

People tried to appease God through processions, public display of penance and punishment, by avoiding bad thoughts, by not abusing the poor, eating and drinking in moderation and by trying to be happy. 

The plague spread very easily

However, monasteries and nunneries were most hit because of the closed nature of their communities.

It easily spread from person to person and since the monks and nuns took care of the sick, they were at higher risk of infection.

Some monasteries were completely wiped out. 

Before the 19th century, the streets were mainly filthy.

The importance of hygiene was not yet recognized.

A combination of the plague with other diseases such as typhus and smallpox likely increased the extent and symptoms of the the black death. 

"The plague continues to survive in modern world in areas where the host rodents live. Today, however, it is rarely fatal - factretriever"

Do you think this theories are correct?
Why do you think the black death happened?

Tell us in the comments section!