The Bubonic Plague: A Student’s Quest to Uncover Its History and Impact

The bubonic plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, has occurred multiple times throughout history. It occurred from the 500s to the 1800s. Each time, it killed thousands to millions of people worldwide. The three major pandemics were documented in 541, 1347, and 1894. Of these, the 1347-1351 epidemic was the most famous. This was because it wiped out 50% of Europe’s population at that time.

I chose this topic because I am very intrigued by the history behind the plague and how it affected so many different countries. I am also curious as to why the disease kept returning so frequently.

What is the bubonic plague?

The bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, was an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis. These bacteria would infect fleas, which would then transmit the disease to rodents, especially rats. Symptoms of the bubonic plague include sudden high fevers, chills, abdominal pain, pain in the arms and legs, frequent headaches, and large, swollen lymph nodes that leak pus.

Where did the bubonic plague take place?

The bubonic plague originated in colonies with wild rodents. Wild rodents made those places breeding grounds for Yersinia pestis. In China, the disease caused severe outbreaks and epidemics.

As it moved west, it largely affected areas such as North Africa and the Middle East. Next, the plague entered Europe through trading ships from the black sea. Infected rodents or fleas on board transmitted the disease to sailors, who then spread it to their families and friends.

When did the Black Death occur?

The plague epidemics have been split into three major waves. Before wave one, the Black Death emerged in 1338 in Central Asia with local outbreaks. The first wave hit Europe in 1347 and lasted until 1351. The second major epidemic hit in 1361, between the second and the third; another small outbreak happened in 1374. Finally, the third and last major outbreak began in Marseilles, France, between 1720 and 1722.

How did the bubonic plague happen?

The bubonic plague was a result of the bacterium Yersinia pestis infected rodents. Rodents were abundant at the time because of poor sanitation. These rodents would then contaminate the food or water consumed by humans, which would lead to the black death passing on to humans and creating huge epidemics that killed millions.

Another reason the plague became so disastrous is that it could spread in many ways. It mainly spread when infected fleas and rodents interacted with humans. However, people could also contract the disease by coming into contact with contaminated tissue or bodily fluids. For instance, if a hunter caught an infected deer or squirrel and came in contact with it, they could also contract the disease. Furthermore, coughing and sneezing near people without the disease could also cause the spread.

Along with these factors, crowded cities, poor hygiene, and limited medical knowledge helped spread the disease. Cities were overpopulated, and streets were crowded with people; as a result, people came in contact with one another frequently. Sanitary management was dreadful. Back then, sewage systems and drainage were still being developed, so wastewater and sewage travelled through open gutters in the streets. Filth collected on streets and roads, attracting germs. The germs then contaminated food or water sold in local markets; this is how people were infected. On top of this, people did not know the concept of germs; therefore, they could not know that these microscopic organisms caused the plague. They did not know about bacteria or Yersinia pestis, so they could not develop a cure. This is why it affected them so severely.

Why did the bubonic plague take place?

As mentioned before, germs were not proven to cause diseases until the late 1800s. Until then, people believed in either natural or supernatural causes.

A natural cause of the plague could have been abysmal waste and sanitary conditions. In addition, doctors believed that diseases were caused by an imbalance in the four humours; black bile, yellow bile, blood, and phlegm. This was fictitious and not a real reason for the plague. At the time, black bile was an imaginary body fluid believed to be in the spleen. People thought it caused sadness or melancholy; as a result, they blamed the spleen for sadness. Yellow bile was also a body fluid considered to be a sign of anger or irritability. Phlegm was known to create calmness, and blood was thought to be the most important as it transported the other three throughout the body. The belief persisted because it seemed logical and was a better system of belief than magical or traditional explanations. Doctors were led to think blood was causing an imbalance in the body, which was why the black death took place. Therefore, they practised bloodletting. Bloodletting is a process through which doctors extract blood from the patient to treat illnesses. They did this by applying medicinal leeches and letting them remove the excess blood.

Another supernatural cause led people to believe God was punishing them for their sins; as a result, they made sacrifices to save their people.

The true cause of the bubonic plague was Yersinia pestis and the rodents that transmitted the disease to humans. Since medicine was not developed at the time, there was no true cure for the plague. Because of misconceptions (belief in the four humours), doctors worsened the situation by performing bloodletting, which weakened patients.

Who did the plague impact?

The black death mainly affected Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Across all three regions, around 75 million or more were killed. This disease also affected rodents, humans, fleas, and cats. Cats ate infected rodents, so the plague spread to them as well.

In conclusion, the bubonic plague spread in a historic series of pandemics worldwide, especially in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It was caused by a bacterium known as Yersinia pestis, and it spread when infected rodents interacted with humans. Because germs were not proven to cause disease until the late 1800s, there was no medicine or cure for the plague. Due to this, the black death wiped out a huge amount of the population across all regions; hence, it is said to be the deadliest disease of the Middle Ages.

Modern hospitals are well sanitised, and the tools used are sterilised. As a result, germs cannot circulate. Doctors can detect symptoms earlier, which helps keep infections from getting out of hand.

After researching this topic, I have seen that medicine has developed substantially. In the past, pandemics could wipe out entire countries. Now, governments can respond proactively through public health initiatives and keep situations under control, so outbreaks will not harm us as much as they did before.

References:

• CDC-How the plague spreads
• BBC Bitesize-Causes and Effects of the Black Death
• EBSCO- Last Major Outbreak of Plague
• JMVH – The History of Plague – Part 1. The Three Great Pandemics
• Britannica- Black Death
• PBS- How the Black Death Set Sail for Europe
• EBSCO- Origins of the Bubonic Plague
• Cleveland Clinic- Bubonic Plague
• Study.com- Black Bile Humor | Definition, Disorders & Treatment
• Merriam Webster- Yellow Bile

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