Africa, Black Plague Flashcards
Who were considered the healers in Africa? What was the concept of their practice?
Priest healers.
-to diagnose or prevent DISEQUILIBRIUM. (physical, mental, social)
Why did early missionaries and colonial ministers condemn traditional African medicines?
“satanic, primitive, un-scientific”
How were African healers affected by the arrival of early missionaries and colonial ministers?
- many were forced to abandon their way of healing
- abandoned indigenous pharmacopeia
- b/c ppl were suppressed, a lot of traditional knowledge was lost.
For what issues are African peoples in urban areas still seeking out traditional cures?
chronic medical issues
How is the African medical system organized?
not a unified system.
- healers are primarily secular (gen to gen)
- some healers are sacred.
Name different types of African healers.
- preist/priestess healers
- faith healers
- cultists
- herbalists
- bone-setters
- traditional midwives
African Priest/Preistess
become possessed to figure out which spirits are attacking you.
- Divination and Ritual manipulation
- talisman
African Faith Healer
similar to western faith healers.
- only work if you have full faith in the healers
- a calling from the holy spirit
African Cultists
many stop shops
- knife wounds
- night terrors
- use charms
- some become possessed.
African herbalists
secular.
traditional pharmacists.
takes a long time and training to become good.
African Bone setters
level of competence similar to western medicine
skilled in healing gangrene w/o amputation.
What are the responsibilities of a traditional African healer?
- personal advice
- help finding things
- aid with romantic matters
- guidance on starting up new businesses
Which African nations have survived imperialism and are building upon traditional medicine?
Swaziland, Kenya, Ghana
How was the bubonic plague spread? What new medical practice did it instill?
rats and trade
quarantine
describe the most devastating plague outbreak.
- century
- how it spread (areas)
- why it was called the black plague
- mid 14th century
- began in the east, followed to the west, devastated Europe, travelled to N. America.
- deceminated intravascular coagulation (clotting of the veins) caused gangrene, which turned body parts black.
Plague as biological warefare
Japanese spread infected fleas over Chinese cities with aircraft
Virgin Soil Epidemic
first contact with disease, or has been so long that the population hasn’t built up a bio defense
Plague of Athens
At the end of a war, this ended the great age of Athens. Sparta’s enemy was inland, so protected from the plague. Athens was on the coast, therefore a trade route, and hit hard.
What does it mean when one says that the black plague “illuminated the other side of trade”.
People travel, animals travel disease travels.
Describe the path of the Black Plague
1338-1339 it began near Kazakhstan, traveled the silk road.
- Astracan first area to get hit hard. Marmot pelts probably carried fleas.
- Mongols and Ghengis Khan’s territory VS. Venice and Genoa. First case of biological warfare when they hurled sick bodies via catapult. City of Kaffa
- People of Kaffa fled, prob by boat.
- Constantinople got hit. (death ships)
- Usually too late to do anything when a death ship arrived, the port was usually infected.
- London, then Norway, Sweden, Russia, Iraq, Iran, Baghdad, Mediterranean coast, Damascus, Egypt, Beirut.
What is the origin of flowers at funerals?
Miasma. Good smell prevents the hurtful bad smell from attacking. Originated with the plague.
In North America, why Ellis Island and Grosse Island for immigrants?
so that sickness/ships were separated from the cities.
what was the death toll from the black plague?
1/3 of Europe, 250,000 ppl. 70% of those who contracted it died.
What happened post-plague?
-socially
because so many ppl died, heirocrocies were over thrown, religion was in doubt, malnutrition was widespread.
After the plague, which country couldn’t get a break from sickness? from what?
how long did sickness last after the plague (amongst different countries)?
- Britain.
- Sweating sickness.
- 100 years (Lombardy, Prussia, Marceille/Tulone)
After 100 years of disease post-plague, what did Europe do to rally together against disease?
Corridor of Health. A boundary with the east from the ottoman empire.
-the corridor was manned by 10,000 men and had quarantine checkpoints along the way. This limited trade, which helped.
Britain got the plague on and off for centuries. What was the end to this?
The great fire in 1666. It leveled the city and burned all the rats.
What are the following scientists known for?
Louis Pasteur, Shibasaburo, Robert Koch
found the composition of the plague, germ theory, cause of the plague.
