3. Objective: To make the students aware of the devastating diseases of the past and their possible reoccurrence in the future.

4. Crisis in Europe  By 1300 Europeans were farming almost all the land they could cultivate.  A population crisis developed.  Climate changes in Europe produced three years of crop failures between 1315-17 because of excessive rain.  As many as 15% of the peasants in some English villages died.  One consequence of starvation & poverty was susceptibility to disease.

6. Perceived Causes Vapors from a volcano Jews poisoned the Gentiles Blood imbalances God’s wrath

7. The Real Culprits

8. The Disease Cycle Flea drinks rat blood that carries the bacteria. Flea’s gut clogged with bacteria. Bacteria multiply in flea’s gut. Flea bites human and regurgitates blood into human wound. Human is infected!

9. 1347: Plague Reaches Europe!

10. Symptoms of the Plague Painful swellings in armpits, neck, and groin called buboes (boo- bows). High fever Blood vessels burst under skin turning it black. Untreated mortality rate- 75%

11. The Symptoms Bulbous Septicemia Form: almost 100% mortality rate.

13. Medieval Art & the Plague An obsession with death.

14. Medieval Art & the Plague Bring out your dead!

15. Medieval Art & the Plague

16. Attempts to Stop the Plague A Doctor’s Robe “Leeching”

17. Attempts to Stop the Plague Flagellant: Self-inflicted “penance” for our sins!

18. Attempts to Stop the Plague Pogroms against the Jews “Jew” hat “Golden Circle” obligatory badge

19. Methods of treatment Bathing in human urine Placing dead animals in the home Amputation

20. Tools Used for Amputation

21. Lancing a Buboe

22. Many priests, who cared for the sick, caught the disease from their patients and died.

23. Effects of the Plague Government halted Loss of labor force Manufacturing suffered Loss of family members Trade was disrupted Religious beliefs altered Prices increased

24. A Little Macabre Ditty “A sickly season,” the merchant said, “The town I left was filled with dead, and everywhere these queer red flies crawled upon the corpses’ eyes, eating them away.” “Fair make you sick,” the merchant said, “They crawled upon the wine and bread. Pale priests with oil and books, bulging eyes and crazy looks, dropping like the flies.”

26. The Mortality Rate 35% - 70% 25,000,000 dead !!!

27. What were the political, economic, and social effects of the Black Death??

28. Could it Happen Again? The conditions present in the 14th century provided an ideal situation for the development of this devastating epidemic. Discuss, what environmental, social, scientific, and sanitary changes have been made in our present society that would limit the possibility of a modern outbreak of the plague ?

29. ANSWER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Control of rat population Use of insecticides Sanitary disposal of garbage and waste Improved personal hygiene Use of antibiotics Improvements in the medical profession Increased knowledge of communicable disease Quarantine procedures on imports of food and animals