The Flea
The black death was caused by fleas on rats.
The fleas infested animals such as rats, and other rodents.
Steps of Transmission
1)First, the flea drinks the rat blood that carries the bacteria
2)The Bacteria multiplies in the flea's gut
3)The flea's gut clogs with bacteria
4)The Flea bites a human, and regurgitates blood into open wound
4)The Human is Infected
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The Black Death was the worst plague ever record in human history.
In the year 1334 alone, 5 million people died.
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In China two-thirds of the population was wiped out
;The plague started in China in the 1330's.
Chronicles tell that there was an evil plague.
In other sources, it shows there were natural disasters
such as earthquakes, and floods. This must've killed many rats
with the disease.
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Signs and side effects of the disease
The first sign of the plague is severe pain that seemed to "bore" through the whole body. They then began to shiver with chills and developed raging fevers, pounding headaches, and dizziness. Eventually the sick became so weak that they could no longer stand. Pea-sized swellings called "gland boils" appears on their armpits, in the groin, or neck. They grew to the size of a walnut. They coughed and vomited blood. If the person coughed blood, there was no chance they would live.
Victims died in between 2 to 4 days.
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The Black Death lasted for over 300 years, killing at least
25 million people until it disappeared in 1670.
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Doctors
The doctors/physicians wore long robes
with pointed hoods, leather gloves, boots,
and bizarre masks, such as beaks filled with
begamot oil, and the eyes made of glass.
It was a custom to douse themselves
with vinegar and chewed angelica before
approaching a victim. The face mask would
have acted as protection as breathing the same
air as the infected person. The cover all clothing
would protect them from fleas.
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1,000 villages were struck by this disease.
The mortality rate was 30-75%
Most Recent Virus
The Ebola virus is the most recent uncontrollable virus known to man. The virus comes from Africa. Ebola has no cure and has the most contagious chemicals . Ebola virus has some of the same symptoms as the flea disease of the black death. Such as the skin turns dark colors and you feel dizziness. But as a side effect of the Ebola virus, your body disintegrates. The lungs collapse and other body organs. You die very painfully. After getting infected, you die in two days. Like the Black Death disease, you die about 2 days after you are infected, too.
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Hyperlinks:
http://www.insecta-inspecta.com/fleas/bdeath/ -For general Information
http://theblackdeath.com/ - For Medieval Pictures of the Black Death
www.byu.edu/ipt/projects/middleages/LifeTimes/Plague.html -This site has info on China during the Black Death
Page By: Becca
Mr Sams Bell 2
Harrison Jr. School
May 2004