The Black Death
1347-1350
The Black Death killed about 25 million people in Europe. The three forms of this disease are bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic. The Black Death began in China and India, then moved westward to Persia, and finally to Crimea and Mediterranean.
Fleas
The Black Death was spread by fleas.
First the fleas drank the rat blood. Bacteria ( Yersinia pestis) multiplies in fleas gut. Then the gut gets clogged with bacteria. Fleas bite human and regurgitate blood into the open wound. HUMANS ARE INFECTED! To stop this cycle they may have killed dogs to stop the spread of fleas.
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| Yersinia pestis | Xenopsylla cheopis |
Diseases
The Bubonic disease is the most common Black Death disease. It's victims were subject to headaches, nausea, aching joints, fevers of 101-105 degrees , vomiting, and general feeling of illness. These symptoms take 1-7 days to occur.
The second most common Black Death disease is called the pneunomic disease. This disease infects the lungs. Symptoms include slimy sputnum tinted with blood (sputnum-saliva mixed with mucus exerted from the respiratory system.)
The least common Black Death disease is called the septicemic disease. Victims with this disease usually die the same day symptoms occur. Eight hundred people died from this disease is some cities.
What Life was Like During the Black Death Period
To make sure no one would dig up the dirt where victims of the Black Death were buried, they made black clay crosses to show where the bodies were. The Catholic churches also ran hospitals for the sick.
This is the map of the Plague
Web page designed by: Kelsey and Alyssa...Bell 7...5/04
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