how did the plague spread in london

Why did the plague spread so quickly in London?

Towns and cities were highly crowded, with poor sanitation. In London the Thames was heavily polluted, people lived in cramped conditions with sewage and filth in the street. Rats ran rampant, leaving every opportunity for the virus to spread. Controlling the disease was almost impossible.

When did the plague spread to London?

1665The Great Plague of 1665 to 1666 The Great Plague was London's last major outbreak of the plague, a bacterial infection caused by Yersinia pestis. The outbreak began in the late winter or early spring of 1665.

What happened in London during the plague?

In 1666 the Great Fire of London destroyed much of the centre of London, but also helped to kill off some of the black rats and fleas that carried the plague bacillus. Bubonic Plague was known as the Black Death and had been known in England for centuries. It was a ghastly disease.

How far did the Great Plague of London spread?

Great Plague of LondonDetailsDates1665-1666Spread byFleas who bit infected rats, then bit peopleVictimsDeathsAbout 200,000 (1/4 of London's population.4 more rows

Did killing cats cause the plague?

In fact, there is some evidence that the Bubonic may even have originated there. So, it seems highly unlikely that the plague came to Europe due to Pope Gregory IX starting an anti-cat purge. Love them or hate them, cats probably had nothing to with the plague.

How did the plague spread?

Bubonic plague is transmitted through the bite of an infected flea or exposure to infected material through a break in the skin.

Why were cats and dogs killed during the plague?

4. How did killing cats and dogs cause the outbreak to spread further? Cats and dogs were predators of rats, so therefore there were less animals to kill the rats. This meant their population grew, so there were more rats to spread disease.

How did they stop the plague?

The most popular theory of how the plague ended is through the implementation of quarantines. The uninfected would typically remain in their homes and only leave when it was necessary, while those who could afford to do so would leave the more densely populated areas and live in greater isolation.

Did rats spread the Black Death?

Scientists now believe the plague spread too fast for rats to be the culprits. Rats have long been blamed for spreading the Black Death around Europe in the 14th century.

How long did it take to get rid of the plague?

The plague never really went away, and when it returned 800 years later, it killed with reckless abandon. The Black Death, which hit Europe in 1347, claimed an astonishing 25 million lives in just four years.

What are the 5 symptoms of the Black Death in order?

Signs and symptoms include:Fever and chills.Extreme weakness.Abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting.Bleeding from your mouth, nose or rectum, or under your skin.Shock.Blackening and death of tissue (gangrene) in your extremities, most commonly your fingers, toes and nose.

Is the Black Death the same as the Great Plague?

The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or simply, the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Afro-Eurasia from 1346 to 1353.

What was the plague in 1620?

bubonic plagueThe Black Death was an epidemic of bubonic plague, a disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis that circulates among wild rodents where they live in great numbers and density.

How long was the plague in London?

Great Plague of London, epidemic of plague that ravaged London, England, from 1665 to 1666. City records indicate that some 68,596 people died during the epidemic, though the actual number of deaths is suspected to have exceeded 100,000 out of a total population estimated at 460,000.

What caused the plague in 1300s?

The Black Death is believed to have been the result of plague, an infectious fever caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. The disease was likely transmitted from rodents to humans by the bite of infected fleas.

How long did the plague last UK?

London never really caught a break after the Black Death. The plague resurfaced roughly every 10 years from 1348 to 1665—40 outbreaks in just over 300 years. And with each new plague epidemic, 20 percent of the men, women and children living in the British capital were killed.

When was the plague in England?

Great Plague of London. The Great Plague of London, lasting from 1665 to 1666, was the last major epidemic of the bubonic plague to occur in England.

When did the second plague start?

It happened within the centuries-long Second Pandemic, a period of intermittent bubonic plague epidemics that originated in Central Asia in 1331 (the first year of the Black Death ), included related diseases such as pneumonic plague, and lasted until 1750.

Why was the Great Plague called the Great Plague?

It became known afterwards as the "great" plague mainly because it was the last widespread outbreak of bubonic plague in England during the 400-year Second Pandemic.

How many people died from the plague in 1625?

The plague was endemic in 17th-century London, as it was in other European cities at the time. The disease periodically erupted into massive epidemics. There were 30,000 deaths due to the plague in 1603, 35,000 in 1625, 10,000 in 1636, and smaller numbers in other years.

What was the cause of the bubonic plague?

At that time, bubonic plague was a much feared disease, but its cause was not understood. Many mistakenly blamed emanations from the earth, "pestilential effluvia", unusual weather, sickness in livestock, abnormal behaviour of animals or an increase in the numbers of moles, frogs, mice or flies.

How many people died in the Great Plague?

The Great Plague killed an estimated 100,000 people—almost a quarter of London's population—in 18 months. The plague was caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium, which is usually transmitted through the bite of a human flea or louse. The 1665–66 epidemic was on a much smaller scale than the earlier Black Death pandemic.

How did the London Bridge get congested?

The nineteen-arch London Bridge was even more congested. Those who were better-off used hackney carriages and sedan chairs to get to their destinations without getting filthy. The poor walked, and might be drenched by water tossed up by wheeled vehicles, slops thrown into the street, or water pouring off overhanging roofs. Another hazard was the choking black smoke belching forth from soap factories, breweries, iron smelters and about 15,000 households that were burning coal to heat their homes.

What was the plague in 1666?

Central parts of London were rebuilt with wider streets to relieve crowding and better sewage systems to improve sanitation. London’s Privy Council issued new Plague Orders in May 1666, which banned the burial of future plague victims in parish churches and small churchyards, enforced the use of quicklime at designated burial sites, and strictly prohibited opening graves less than one year after interment as a safeguard against the spread of infection.

What is the Great Plague?

The Great Plague in Fictional Literature. The Great Plague appears in fictional works, such as William Harrison Ainsworth’s Old Saint Paul’s (1847) and Daniel Defoe’s A Journal of the Plague Year (1722), in which he describes London as “quite abandoned to despair.”. Selected Contagion Resources.

Why did the plague kill so many dogs?

Tens of thousands of dogs and cats were killed to eliminate a feared source of contagion, and mounds of rotting garbage were burned. Purveyors of innumerable remedies proliferated, and physicians and surgeons lanced buboes and bled black spots in attempts to cure plague victims by releasing bad bodily humors.

How many people died in the Great Plague of 1665?

The Great Plague killed between 75,000 and 100,000 of London’s rapidly expanding population of about 460,000.

When were plague orders issued?

Plague Orders, first issued by the Privy Council in 1578 , were still effective in 1665. These edicts prohibited churches from keeping dead bodies on their premises during public assemblies or services, and carriers of the dead had to identify themselves and could not mix with the public.

Who predicted the death of the plague?

In another eyewitness account, Loimographia (1665), William Boghurst, a general practitioner who accurately described the symptoms of plague and predicted its demise in 1666, attributed the plague’s causes to filth and squalor, inadequate disposal of sewage, and poor nutrition among London’s impoverished residents.

How long did the plague last in London?

The plague lasted in London until the late autumn when the colder weather helped kill off the fleas.

What year did London survive the Great Plague?

The people of London who had managed to survive the Great Plague in 1665 must have thought that the year 1666 could only be better, and couldn't possibly be worse! Poor souls... more details.

What was the Black Death?

History UK. History of England. The Great Plague 1665 – the Black Death. by Ben Johnson. In two successive years of the 17th century London suffered two terrible disasters. In the spring and summer of 1665 an outbreak of Bubonic Plague spread from parish to parish until thousands had died and the huge pits dug to receive the bodies were full.

What was the plague that killed the black rats?

In 1666 the Great Fire of London destroyed much of the centre of London, but also helped to kill off some of the black rats and fleas that carried the plague bacillus. Bubonic Plague was known as the Black Death and had been known in England for centuries. It was a ghastly disease.

How long did it take for the plague to incubate?

Incubation took a mere four to six days and when the plague appeared in a household, the house was sealed, thus condemning the whole family to death! These houses were distinguished by a painted red cross on the door and the words, ‘Lord have mercy on us’.

What is the song about the plague?

A song about the plague is still sung by children. ‘ Ring-a-ring of roses ‘ describes in great detail the symptoms of the plague and ends with ‘All fall down’. The last word, ‘dead’, is omitted today. The plague spread to many parts of England. York was one city badly affected.

Where did Mompesson preach?

Mompesson preached in the open air during the time of the plague, on a rock in a dell now called Cucklett Church. Every year a Commemorative Service is held here on the last Sunday in August. During their ‘siege’ the villagers dropped money for provisions into a well so as not to spread the infection on the coins.

Where did the plague come from?

The plague arrived in South West England laying waste to the port of Bristol. This comes as little surprise as it was the largest port in the South West and had strong links with the rest of the world.

Where did the Black Death spread?

In the spring it returned with renewed vigour. This map shows the spread of the Black Death across Europe, Western Asia and North Africa in the late 14th century.

What was its impact?

The first outbreak of plague in Britain lasted from 1348 to 1350, and the effects were catastrophic. As much as half of the population was wiped out, with some villages suffering nearly 100% death rates.

What caused the Yersina pestis?

There are a number of theories about what caused the disease, but the most prevalent is that it was down to a bacterium called Yersina pestis which was carried by fleas living on the back of rats. It is thought to have originated from the orient and was carried along the Silk Road by traders and Mongol armies.

When did the Vikings attack Lindisfarne?

1228 years ago, on June 8 793, Vikings attacked a monastic settlement on the island of Lindisfarne. This raid had such an impact across Europe that despite there being no archaeological evidence for it, only literary sources, it is still remembered today. In this episode, Cat speaks to Dr David Petts from Durham University. They discuss why the Vikings chose to raid Lindisfarne, the community that they would have found there, and how the attack impacted upon Northumbrian Christendom and the wider world.

Is the Bubonic Plague curable?

They suggest the symptoms described in historical accounts do not match the symptoms of modern day plague. Equally, bubonic plague, they argue, is relatively curable and even without treatment only kills around 60%.

What happened to trade with London and other plague towns?

All trade with London and other plague towns was stopped. The Council of Scotland declared that the border with England would be closed. There were to be no fairs or trade with other countries. This meant many people lost their jobs – from servants to shoemakers to those who worked on the River Thames. How did Londoners react to this plague that devastated their lives?

When did the plague start?

The earliest cases of disease occurred in the spring of 1665 in a parish outside the city walls called St Giles-in-the-Fields. The death rate began to rise during the hot summer months and peaked in September when 7,165 Londoners died in one week. Rats carried the fleas that caused the plague.

What was the worst plague in history?

Worse still was pneumonic plague, which attacked the lungs and spread to other people through coughing and sneezing, and septicaemic plague, which occurred when the bacteria entered the blood. In these cases, there was little hope of survival. Treatments and prevention at the time did not help.

How many people died in the plague in England?

This was the worst outbreak of plague in England since the black death of 1348. London lost roughly 15% of its population. While 68,596 deaths were recorded in the city, the true number was probably over 100,000. Other parts of the country also suffered.

How many types of plague were there in 1665?

There are three types of plague. Most of the sick in 1665-1666 had bubonic plague. This created swellings (buboes) in the lymph nodes found in the armpits, groin and neck. Plague sufferers experienced headaches, vomiting and fever. They had a 30% chance of dying within two weeks.

What would happen if rats did not die?

If the rats did not die, their fleas would not need to find a human host and fewer people would be infected. Probably, people started to develop a stronger immunity to the disease. Also, in plague scares after 1666, more effective quarantine methods were used for ships coming into the country.

What caused the plague?

Rats carried the fleas that caused the plague. They were attracted by city streets filled with rubbish and waste, especially in the poorest areas. Those who could, including most doctors, lawyers and merchants, fled the city. Charles II and his courtiers left in July for Hampton Court and then Oxford.

How many times did the plague occur in Europe?

For instance, it reappeared across Europe at least six times in just over 50 years after first arriving in 1347. In fact, some historians have noted ...

What were the effects of the plague on the merchants?

The merchants on the ship were suffering from the effects of the plague, which included: flu-like symptoms, black and painful lumps that oozed blood and pus, and vomiting. The traders had just returned from a port city on the Crimean Peninsula in the Black Sea.

What is the Black Death?

The Black Death is the term that historians use to describe the spread of the bubonic plague. It is believed that the plague first began in Central Asia and spread to Europe through vast trade routes such as the Silk Road . Historians studying the spread of the plague discovered that the disease was spread by fleas that are commonly found on ...

How many plagues were there in London?

As well as the epidemics in the 14th and 17th Centuries, there were 18 other plague epidemics in London between 1563 and 1666 , though these were all much smaller outbreaks. They analysed thousands of documents covering a 300-year span of plague outbreaks in the city, and found that, in the 14th Century, the number of people infected ...

How fast did the plague spread in the 17th century?

By Sara Rigby, PA Science. Published: 20th October, 2020 at 09:36. The plague spread across London around four times faster in the 17th Century than it had in the 14th Century, a new study suggests. Researchers found an acceleration in transmission between the Black Death of 1348 – estimated to have wiped out more than one-third ...

How was the first epidemic driven?

The scientists suggest that the early epidemic was primarily driven by bubonic transmission – that is, through bites from infected insects – and the later epidemic was primarily driven by pneumonic transmission.

How often did the number of people double in the 17th century?

By the 17th Century, the number was doubling every 11 days, according to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.

Did the plague spread through human contact?

Researchers suggest the estimated speed of the 14th Century epidemics, along with other information about the biology of plague, indicates that during the plague bacterium did not spread primarily through human-to-human contact, known as pneumonic transmission, in this outbreak.

Does the Bubonic Plague still occur?

Bubonic plague does still occasionally occur in small flare-ups of a few dozen cases, but we have antibiotics to treat it now. Plus, better hygiene makes it very hard for a disease spread by flea bites to become a global pandemic again.

Why did the plague spread?

The spread of the plague is attributed to black rats that don't have a fear the same fear of humans as other rats. Once the plague has killed off a colony of rats, fleas, searching for another host, find and infect humans with the disease which causes a painful swelling of the lymph node, typically in the groin, thigh, armpit, or neck.

When did the plague come to Europe?

But they could not escape the plague. When they arrived in Genoa and Venice in January of 1348, few passengers or sailors were alive to tell the tale. It took only a few plague victims to bring the deadly illness to mainland Europe. 03.

What happened to Messina when the plague raged?

But it was too late. Plague quickly raged through the city, and panicked victims fled, spreading it to the surrounding countryside. While Sicily was succumbing to the horrors of the disease, the expelled trading ships brought it to other areas around the Mediterranean, infecting the neighboring islands of Corsica and Sardinia by November.

How did the plague affect India?

But the disease took a devastating toll on China, killing millions. The plague most reached India from China via common ship trading routes rather than moving south from the lake through the seldom-traveled mountains of Tibet. Millions of lives were lost in India as well.

How long did it take for the 1349 plague to spread?

1349: Infection Rate Slows. Melissa Snell. Having infected virtually all of western Europe and half of central Europe in about 13 months, the spread of the illness finally began to slow. Most of Europe and Britain were now keenly aware that a horrible plague was among them.

What happened to the first three houses in Milan?

When the pestilence reached Milan, the occupants of the first three houses it struck were walled up—sick or not—and left to die. This horrifyingly harsh measure, ordered by the archbishop, appeared to succeed to some degree, for Milan suffered less from the plague than any other major Italian city.

How did the disease come to Mecca?

How the disease made its way to Mecca is not clear, but both merchants and pilgrims traveled by sea from India to the holy city regularly. However, Mecca was not struck until 1349, more than a year after the disease was in full swing in Europe. Pilgrims or merchants from Europe may have brought it south with them.

Overview

Outbreak

London in 1665

The recording of deaths

Preventive measures

Aftermath

Impact

See also