The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-10-08
What the BLACK Death 4 Plague Was,

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What the BLACK Death Plague Was
This great plague, known as the
"Black Death, was the most deadly
epidemic ever known. It is believed
to have been an aggravated outburs1
of the oriental plague, which, from
the earliest records of history, mas
periodically appeared in Asia and
Northern Africa. There had been 9
visitation of the plague in Europe in
1912; the Black Death, in terrible
virulence, appeared in 1348-o; it al
so came in milder form in I361-2
and again in 1869. The prevalence
and severity of the pestilence during
this century is ascribed to the dis
turbed conditions of the elements
that preceded it. For number OF
years Asia and Europe had suffered
from mighty earthquakes, furious
tornadoes, violent floods, clouds OF
locusts darkening the air and poison
ing it with their corrupting bodies.
Whether these natural disturbances
were the causes of the plague is not
certainly known, but many writer's on
the subject regard the connection as
both probable and possible. The
disease was brought from the Orient
to Constantinople, and early in 1347
appeared in Sicily and several coast
towns of Italy. After brief pause,
the pestilence broke out at Avignon
in JAM, I34S; advanced thence to
Southern France, Spain and North
ern Italy. Passing through France,
and visiting, but not yet ravaging
Germany, it made its way to Eng
land. cutting down its first victims at
Dorset in August, 1348. Thence it
travelled slowly, reaching London
early in the winter. Soon it en-
braced the entire kingdom, penetrat-
ing to every rural hamlet, SO that
England became a mere pest-house.
The chief symptoms of the disease
are described as splitting, in some
eases actual vomiting, of blood, the
breaking out of inhammatory boils in
parts or over the whole of the body,
and the appearance of those dark
blotches upon the skin which sug-
gested its most startling name.
Some of the victims died almost on
the first attack, some in twelve hours,
some in two days, almost all within
the first three days" The utter
powerlessness of medical skill before
the disease was owing partly to the
physicians ignorance Of its nature,
largely to the effect of the spirit Of
terror, which hung like a pail over
mems minds. After some months
had paased, the practice of opening
the hard boils was adopted, with
very good effect, and many lives
were thus saved. But the havoc
wrought by the disease in England
was terrible, 1t is said that 100, 900
persons died in London, nearly Co.,
900 in Norwich, and proportionate
numbers in other cities. These fig
ures seem incredible, but a recent
writer, who mas spent much time in
the investigation of records, asserts
that at least half the population, or
about 2,5oo,o souls. of England
persisted in this outbreak. The raw
ages Of the pestilence over the rest
of the world were no less terrible.
Germany is said to have lost 1914
434 victims; Italy, over half the pop
ulation. On moderate calculation,
it may be assumed that there per-
ished in Europe during the first ap-
pearance of the Black Death fully
IS 5000, 900 human beings. Concern
ing the Orient, we have less reliable
records, but 10000 are said to
have died in China, and $4,000, 900
in the rest of Asia and adjacent is
lands. The plague also ravaged
Northern Africa, but of its course
there is little known. The horrors
of that dreadful time were increased
by the fearful prosecutions visited on
the Jews, who were accused of hav-
ing caused the pestilence by poison
ing the public wells. The people
rose to exterminate the hapless race
and killed them by fire and torture
wherever found. 1t is impossible
for US to conceive of the actual hor-
ror of such times.