Plague Doctors The Plague Doctor took care of the people who had the plague. Due to the fact that these doctors were helping these diseased citizens, they were often perceived as a spreader of the disease. These doctors were often quarantined (kept away) in order to keep the rest of the community safe.
Since the Plague Doctors worked on/helped people with Bubonic Plague, the Doctors wore masks that had a long beak shape to their nose. The main reason why the Doctors wore this type of mask is so that they would not be treating in the putrid diseased air. Inside the tip of the beak there were varities of different flowers and scents that created a barrier that the plague could could not travel through. Common herbs used included lemon, mint, cloves, myrrh and rose. There would also be a clump of straw to act as a filter purifying element to the air they were breathing in. Everyone of the Plague Doctors worked on anyone who had this disease, the rich and the poor. They only worked on anyone with this specific disease, and the city was paying their salary. Some Plague Doctors charged extra for "special treatments" and/or false cures. Most methods that Plague Doctors used increased the chances of death. One of the famous plague doctors included Nostradamus. He advised to remove the infected corpses, breathe clean air and drink clean/fresh water. Later in history, we found that his ideas were true and would have helped to decrease the effects of the plague. |
How The Bubonic Plague Started
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Symptoms Of The Bubonic Plague
Some of the symptoms of the Bubonic Plague are a high fever, a rapid pulse rate of the heart, a severe headache, aches all through out the body, and enflamed lymph nodes near the bite. Also you usually see buboes, a painful swelling, that usually appears in the legs, armpits, or groin. Bitten from a flea, the bacteria invades the lymph nodes near the bite area, and a you experience weakness in the body (preventing from being useful or effective). Most plague patients deteriorate rapidly, and die within 13 days. These symptoms can develop anywhere from 1-8 days after the infection of yersinia pestis from the flea.
False Treatments And Cures
False treatments or cures of the bubonic plague were popular. Many different people were creating treatments and cures that they thought would help. However, it was found that these treatments actually made the symptoms and the plague worse and more widespread.
Some of the more disgusting false treatments included such things as using urine, feces and living locations. Drinking urine twice a day from the uninfected was supposed to be a way of releasing the plague demons. Another is living in a sewer in order to stay away from other citizens. Finally, to smear human feces on the open lanced buboes as a paste mixed with plant elements. The Plague Doctor often used the treatment of bloodletting. Putting frogs and leeches on the Buboes to rebalance the patients humors. These treatments and cures were false and would not get rid of the bubonic plague and caused death for many people. Often unsanitary conditions of opening the wound would lead to gruesome infections. Scientists didn't know what was causing the bubonic plague until years after. Because of the unknown cause people made strange treatments and cures that only made the Black Plague worse. |
Did The Bubonic Plague End?
Ever since the horrific times of the Black Death one question was never answered. Even to this day the Black Plague is still out there looking for it's next victim. This rare disease never came to a actual end. Even though it's still out there it doesn't cause as much damage as before.
Still Around… 21st Century
Even today, in the United States, an average of 7 human cases of plague are reported each year (CDC.gov). 80% of the 1006 confirmed cases (1900-2012) in the United States were of the Bubonic form.
Although most cases of the current plague are found in the south west of the nation, including states such as New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado, there have been outliers found in Illinois and Michigan. However, the root of the infection was found to be outside of the midwest or lab-associated.
Although most cases of the current plague are found in the south west of the nation, including states such as New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado, there have been outliers found in Illinois and Michigan. However, the root of the infection was found to be outside of the midwest or lab-associated.
Resources
http://listverse.com/2013/01/21/10-crazy-cures-for-the-black-death/
http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/14/health/michigan-plague/
http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/22/health/plague-cases-2015-cdc/
http://www.cdc.gov/plague/maps/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubonic_plague
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=116771
http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/49/5/736.full
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/7-year-old-colorado-girl-infected-bubonic-plague-leave-hospital-article-1.1155802
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_doctor
http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/14/health/michigan-plague/
http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/22/health/plague-cases-2015-cdc/
http://www.cdc.gov/plague/maps/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubonic_plague
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=116771
http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/49/5/736.full
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/7-year-old-colorado-girl-infected-bubonic-plague-leave-hospital-article-1.1155802
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_doctor