Re: Black Death timeline

John Briggs <john.briggs4@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Eric Stevens wrote:
On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 02:25:28 +0000 (UTC), Paul J Gans <gans@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

SolomonW <SolomonW@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > wrote:
In article <gfdcpi$4da$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, gans@xxxxxxxxx says...
SolomonW <SolomonW@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > wrote:
In article <gf9sth$4at$9@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, gans@xxxxxxxxx
says...
SolomonW <SolomonW@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > wrote:

Quarantine was the only successful method to work in medieval
times, yet how could quarantine work if rats were carriers?

Curious that you mention it. But the Italians were aware of
contagion. At one town in northern Italy (I can't check my
books now, not being home) a ship carrying sick sailors was
quarantined. Though it was allowed to tie up at the pier,
guards were set and nobody was allowed on or off the ship.

The rat guard for lines hadn't yet been invented. You know
the rest.



Showing rats could carry it but in the Village of Eyam why did
the rats not carry it to the surrounding areas?

I don't understand the reference. Eyam sounds like
it is English. What's that got to do with Northern
Italy?



Oh it is a famous story of a brave village.

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/eyam_and_the_great_plague_of_166.htm

Thanks. That's interesting.

By the way, the story contains the clue as to how the plague
spread in 1348 right there in the third paragraph.

I wonder if that is really a valid conclusion? Did the tailor actually
note "Received parcel of material containing fleas bearing the
plague"?

Did he even note that the material contained fleas? For that matter,
did any information of this kind survive across some 340 years?

I suspect that someone more recently has hazarded a guess at the whole
scenario. This won't stop people quoting the story as though it has
been confirmed that this is how it actually happened.

You are the only person who doesn't accept that this is what actually
happened.

Worse, the truth or falsity of this particular incident
is besides the point. The plague travelled the trade
routes at about the speed a man will travel in a day.
The inclusion of fleas in the trade goods, or on the
trader, is quite likely. And it only takes one infested
trader to bring the disease to a new location.

--
--- Paul J. Gans
.

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