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FAQ - Plague
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How did doctors attempt to treat people ill with plague? What remedies did they use?
The plague, also known as the Great Mortality or the Pestilence, decimated Europe. Writers of the time estimated that this illness killed 20-40% of Europeans. The plague started in Asia in the early 1340s and spread to Europe in 1347.
The fourteenth century!s
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1.A wide-brimmed black hat worn close to the head. At the time, a wide-brimmed black hat would have been identified a person as a doctor, much the same as how nowadays a hat may identify chefs, soldiers, and workers. The wide-brimmed hat may have also been used as partial shielding from infection.
A primitive gas mask in the shape of a bird's beak. A common belief at the time was that the plague was spread by birds. There may have been a belief that by dressing in a bird-like mask, the wearer could draw the plague away from the patient and onto the garment the plague doctor wore. The mask also included red glass eyepieces, which were thought to make the wearer impervious to evil. The beak of the mask was often filled with strongly aromatic herbs and spices to overpower the miasmas or "bad air" which was also thought to carry the plague. At the very least, it may have served a dual purpose of dulling the smell of unburied corpses, sputum, and ruptured bouboules in plague victims.
A long, black overcoat. The overcoat worn by the plague doctor was tucked in behind the beak mask at the neckline to minimize skin exposure. It extended to the feet, and was often coated head to toe in suet or wax. A coating of suet may have been used with the thought that the plague could be drawn away from the flesh of the infected victim and either trapped by the suet, or repelled by the wax. The coating of wax likely served as protection against respiratory droplet contamination, but it was not known at the time if coughing carried the plague. It was likely that the overcoat was waxed to simply prevent sputum or other bodily fluids from clinging to it.
A wooden cane. The cane was used to both direct family members to move the patient, other individuals nearby, and possibly to examine the patient with directly. Its precise purpose with relation to the plague victim isn't known.
Leather breeches. Similar to waders worn by fishermen, leather breeches were worn beneath the cloak to protect the legs and groin from infection. Since the plague often tended to manifest itself first in the lymph nodes, particular attention was paid to protecting the armpits, neck, and groin.
2.The plague doctor's clothing also had a secondary use: to intentionally frighten and warn onlookers. The bedside manner common to doctors of today did not exist at the time; part of the appearance of the plague doctor's clothing was meant to frighten onlookers, and to communicate that something very, very wrong was nearby, and that they too might become infected. It's not known how often or widespread plague doctors were, or how effective they were in treatment of the disease. It's likely that while offering some protection to the wearer, they may have actually contributed more to the spreading of the disease than its treatment, in that the plague doctor unknowingly served as a vector for infected fleas to move from host to host. (+ info)
How long does the bubonic plague last WITH treatment?
I know that the bubonic plague lasts about 2-7 days until you die without treatment. so what is length of the illness with treatment?
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Good question. Doctors aren't sure what treatment to give due to the "plague epidemic" happening over a century ago. Let's hope the rise on this deathly sickness isn't arriving back again, although i'm sure our technology can fight it off for some time, nobody is really sure. (+ info)
how do symptoms of the bubonic plague affect the body?
im doing a report for science on the bubonic plague and i need some help. what is the life expectancy? or recovery? what are the treatments?
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http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/plague/DS00493 (+ info)
What were the people in the plague called that had the long nosed masks and underneath them were flowers?
Ok, so I remember seeing an exhibit about the plague at a health museum and a guy was dressed up in black and was wearing a long-nosed mask (like the one in the thief lord) and I was wondering what these people were called.
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I think just "Plague Doctors" lol (+ info)
Is it possible for periodontal disease to spread from a tooth to another? What causes plague to form on tooth?
My son brushes his teeth regularly, twice a day. Last December, his dentist told him that he has periodontal disease in his gum.
This may be due to his oral hygience as he was unprepared for his cleaning kit when he was asked to work till the next day. It was about 10 months ago and is it too late to undergo treatment?? Can periodontal disease spread from a tooth to another? It was so unfortunate for him to have caught the disease, and what causes plague to form on the tooth/gum?? How to prevent it??
Can anyone please kindly advise as soon as possible. Thank you very much.
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Once a diagnosis of perio disease has been made, professional treatment is of the greatest demand to save the teeth and bone structure from this diseases devastating demise. Every tooth is subjected to damage from this "active infection" and the bone loss associated with this disease as well as the whole body. The same plaque found in perio disease has been found to be associated with heart attacks.
Brushing your teeth twice a day is good, but it isn't the solution to the problem. A person can brush ten times a day, but if it's not done "correctly" and thoroughly then it's just not going to do any good. Your son needs to spend at least "2-3 minutes brushing" with a "soft toothbrush," brushing each tooth about "20 strokes" not just the front ones. Also "flossing" is of the utmost importance because it removes the plaque caused from bacteria found in the mouth, under the gums that brushing can't reach.
A diagnosis of perio disease means that he has developed pockets in the gum of some areas that surround his teeth. These pockets can range in depth, but all are "too deep" for him to be able to clean. We consider anything deeper than 3-4mm as too deep for a tooth brush or floss to reach to clean. He will need to have root planing done which removes all the debris from the pockets and along the roots of the teeth in question. This allows for some shrinkage of the tissue which decreases the pocket depth and possible reattachment of tissue with hopes that proper techniques in brushing, flossing, along with continued professional care and his excellent home care will help to eliminate the disease from progressing.
It is unfortunate that he has "developed perio disease," but he didn't “catch it.” It progresses over time, usually from inadequate brushing and flossing techniques and lack of professional dental care. Although there is some research that links its cause to hereditary or genetics. The best treatment your son can follow is his dentist advice and see a periodontist for follow up cleanings every 3-4 months, they will alternate with his dental appointments. This may seem like a lot at first but will lessen with time, it's to keep a close watch on the pockets depth and to eliminate the progression of this disease by maintaining and monitoring your son's dental health. Perio disease can be devastating by destroying the surrounding tissue and bone structures that support the teeth, which left untreated will eventually lead to the loss of teeth. I hope you will encourage your son to continue with treatment to maintain his natural teeth and halt this disease. It can be stopped with proper treatment, your son isn’t alone with this disease. Good luck and I hope that I’ve given you enough insight to help you to understand this disease, how to correct it with his dentist and periodontist help and the causes of it so your son can change those habits to better his dental health. (+ info)
What is the timeline of contracting the 3 types of plagues and dying? For bubonic plague, septicemic, and pneu
I need to know for bubonic plague, septicemic plague, and pneumonic plague what the time line is from Contracting the disease to dying, what happens, when do symptoms appear, etc.
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The answer isnt that simple, as one form of the disease may lead to the other forms.
Bubonic plague develops 2-6 days after the bite of an infected flea. A small percentage of people infected in this manner develop primary septic plague. Of all these cases, about 12% go on to develop pneumonic plague (at least that is what has been seen in the US for the last 50 years). The time from infection to death varies depending on the type of disease and treatment provided (as well as how soon treatment was started).
Primary pneumonic plague (spread through the respiratory route from person to person) has a shorter incubation period of 1-4 days (usually 1-2 days). Death typically occurs a couple days after the symptoms begin. (+ info)
Can anyone describe symptoms of the plague?
The plague, also known as the Great Mortality or the Pestilence, decimated Europe. Writers of the time estimated that this illness killed 20-40% of Europeans. The plague started in Asia in the early 1340s and spread to Europe in 1347.
The fourteenth century!
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Show symptoms 2 to 6 days after getting plague. Symptoms include fever, chills, weakness, and swollen and painful lymph nodes. A few people get pneumonia. This progresses to very painful, usually swollen, and often hot-to-the touch lymph nodes. This may take a day or two after the other symptoms start. The bacteria can sperad throughout the bloodstream even in the lungs. The incubation period of pneumonic plague is 1 to 3 days and is characterized by development of an overwhelming pneumonia with high fever, cough, bloody sputum, and chills. For plague pneumonia patients, the death rate is over 50%. (+ info)
during the middle ages how did people avoid the black plague?
what are some ways the people of the middle ages (mainly clergy) avoided the black plague?
anyonee?
websites are helpful too.
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By fleeing as fast as they can out of the country that was plagued. Otherwise they died. (+ info)
Do people today have a natural immunity to the Black Plague?
Europeans or people of European descent, I mean. If 30-60 percent of Europe was wiped out but the rest survived, does that mean that they passed on a natural immunity to their children and grandchildren, etc? I've heard that the majority of people from European descent have a natural immunity but I'm not sure if it's true. Just curious, the Black Plague is fascinating. Thanks!
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There weren't many people who recovered from the Black Plague. The ones who survived were the ones who never got it. They may have been naturally immune, but chances are they were the lucky ones who were not bitten by infected fleas.
The plague didn't limit itself to Europe, and is known to have started in Asia and spread to Africa. Since it is carried by fleas who are carried by rats, it hasn't limited itself in its spread. The rats who carried it are not native to the Americas, but have pretty much moved in coast-to-coast since Columbus, and now a lot of wild rodents carry infected fleas.
But your question sparked a memory. There has been research into people who seem to be resistant to HIV, and there are scientists who have found that some were descendants of people who developed plague in the middle ages and survived. PBS had a program about this. Apparently if their genetic makeup could allow them to survive the plague, it could also allow them to resist HIV. This is impossible to prove, but it is an intriguing concept. Check the link. (+ info)
How do you get bubonic plague?
What are your "buboes?" Where ARE they?? What is pneumonic plague? How does it differ from bubonic plague?
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Plague is caused by a bacterium called yersinia pestis.
The disease has three main forms with different symptoms. They are caused by the same organism but in different ways.
Bubonic plague is the most common. It is the most common result of being bitten by an infected flea. The flea leaves hundreds of bacteria around the bite site which get circulated through the lymphatic system.
Usually the lymphatic system eliminates infections like this in lymph nodes around the body but plague is resistant to ordinary methods of destruction and takes over the lymph node which starts to become inflamed and die, swelling until you can see them as large bumps under the skin, known as bubos.
Sometimes the infection stops there but it can also spread from the lymphatics to the bloodstream, causing secondary septicaemic (blood infection) plague. This is very dangerous, and it can spread to many parts of the body.
Septicaemic plague can infect the lungs causing secondary pneumonic plague, which is a very severe type of pneumonia caused by the same bug.
People can cough up bacteria from pneumonic plague and transmit it to others, causing other cases of primary pneumonic plague - pneumonic plague without septicaemia or swollen lymph nodes.
Pneumonic plague has different symptoms to bubonic plague (such as trouble breathing, coughing up blood) and can be transmitted from person to person without the aid of fleas. (+ info)