Case Study - The Great Plague Of 1665 Flashcards
What date and what era did the Great plague occur in?
1665 - The Medical Renaissance era
What did people blame for the Great Plague?
1) The alignment of Saturn and Jupiter, and Mars and Saturn.
A comet was also spotted which was thought to be a ‘sign’ from God! Haha :)
2) God was punishing them
3) The most popular theory was miasma caused by stinking rubbish on the streets
4) Person-to-person infection
How was the Great Plague treated?
1) Quarantining victims in their homes
2) Wrapping victims in woollen clothes and lying them by the fire - sweat it out
3) ‘Transference’ - strapping a live chicken to buboes to draw-out the poison
4) Herbal remedies
5) Quack remedies
What did Doctors say about how to avoid The Great Plague?
1) Pray
2) Quarantine anyone who is infected
3) Carry a pomander (a ball containing perfumed substances)
4) Fasting or eating a garlic heavy diet
What did other healers say about how to avoid the Great Plague?
1) Apothecaries prescribed ‘plague water’
2) Use mint and rosemary or sugar and nutmeg
3) Smoke tobacco
4) Catching syphilis would prevent the Plague
Describe the appearance of a plague doctor
Leather hat, Glass eye, Beak stuffed with herbs and spices
Mask gathered at the neck, Wooden stick to keep people away, full length gown covered with wax worn over leather breeches, Leather gloves, full length leather boots.
A picture would be better here, but I can’t afford the premium subscription aha :)
State 2 ways on how the government helped the Great Plague
And 2 ways on how they didn’t
Good:
1) Public meetings and theatres were closed :)
2) Streets and alleyways were swept and cleaned :)
Bad:
1) Charles II said everyone should fast regularly :(
2) 40,000 dogs and 200,000 cats were slaughtered :(
Give 5 similarities between the Black Death of 1349 and the Great Plague of 1655
1) Many believed God sent the Plague as a punishment for their sins
2) Blaming the movement and alignement of planets
3) Miasmas
4) Both spread by rats
5) No proper cures, only theories
Give 5 differences between the Black Death of 1349 and the Great Plague in 1655
1) A greater scientific approach to understanding the plague - some people linked dirt to disease :)
2) The Mayor of London did a lot more to help
3) Public events e.g. plays were banned to prevent the gathering of large crowds
4) Fires were lit in the streets to cleanse the air of poisons
5) Victims were shut in their houses with watchmen on guard to stop people from going in or out
Give an overall comparison of The Black Death of 1349 and the Great Plague of 1655
It seemed like there was mostly change in the treatment of the Plague between 1348/9 and 1655. People were beginning to see links between dirt and disease, and although this couldn’t be explained scientifically, they were able to begin making links which was a start for them. Also, the examining of corpses and keeping of records helped to stop the plague and there was a much more scientific approach than before. These things may have only made a small difference to ending the Plague, but in the end, did help to stop it.
