THE CAUSE OF THE BLACK DEATH
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In the early 1330s an outbreak of deadly bubonic plague occurred in
China. Plague mainly affects rodents, but fleas can transmit the disease to people. Once people are infected, they infect others very rapidly. Plague causes fever and a painful swelling of the lymph glands called buboes, which is how it gets its name. The disease also causes spots on the skin that are red at first and then turn black.
Since China was one of the busiest of the world's trading nations, it was only a matter of time before the outbreak of plague in China spread to western Asia and Europe. In October of 1347, several Italian merchant ships returned from a trip to the Black Sea, one of the key links in trade with China. When the ships docked in Sicily, many of those on board were already dying of plague. Within days the disease spread to the city and the surrounding countryside.
Pneumonic Plague was spread by sneezing and bubonic plague by flea bites. Both could be fatal. However,
pneumonic fever was more contagious because it was air-based. the symptoms of bubonic plague would start with a high temperature, headaches and vomiting, followed by lumps appearing in the groin and armpits, eventually the victim would be covered all over with black bruises, death would shortly follow. the fleas that delivered the deadly bite would leap from dead rats to humans and could survive in any warm place.Such a devastating disease was bound to bring huge changes to medieval society. Some writers complained the disease had brought out the worst in people. In other cases, because so many had died, labour was in short supply.
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