Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-24
THE BUBONlC PLAGUE
HigfonY AND RAvAcEs OF THE
DREAD DISEASE REVIEWED.
WILL IT REACH OUR SHORES?
Not Likely That II Wilt-How We
May Deal with IL IL Ii Does-The
Great scourpc tn London-subjcct
discussed by a Richmond Doctor.

have contained almost udiiN dNSVS"'S VI
tho ravages OF the plagve in India. While
to- most lay readers but littlefis known
OF the nature Of this disease, si!n It's
mere mention Suggests a vague but none
the less real sense OF horror. There is an
immediate association OF the term with
previous epidemics of the dread disease
accounts OF which are familiar TO al
who have read aught OF the history Of
the Middle Ages. or Of the first years OF
the reign OF Charles H. In England.
Even to those unfamiliar with the PAGES
Of s,story. the terrible nature Of the
disease becomes at once apparent from
the present newspaper accounts OF the
almost completely deserted cities the
demoralized condition OF those remaining
behind. and the frlghtful mortality among
the sufferers.
In this day Of sensational journalism.
Il Is difficult to decide how mGeh crederce
20 give 10 narratives dealing With events
so out of the common. Tho pCipoit OF
this article IS TO present our Itacfrs
with n reliable account OF the nature OIL
the plague Il hrief review OF some or
the most noted cpiiemics OF the disease
4. ia iOitfltF lilitNr anu SRAuN Inv - ~
)ating 10 the present outbreak The re-
cent discoveries regarding the origin Of
the disease will also be considered.
Under the various terms-back death,
Oriental plague. Levantine plague bu-
bonic plague. or simply "the plague
this disease has been described by many
writers of medieval and modern times.
There Is scarcely any doubt that some OF
the fatal erldemics described by certain
Greek and Roman writer's, before ana
early in the Christian era. refer TO this
disease. but the first unmistakable refer
tnce to its presence in Europe IS early
in the sixth century. IN the writings OF
Procopius and other contemporary his
torians In 1916 the plague again broke
out In Sicily having been carried thither
from Asia In the following year IL in
vaded Italy. Greece, and Constantinople.
From this time its spread was rapid
until all Europe was stricken.
BOCCACCIO'S DESCRIPTION OF THE
PLAGUE.
In the introduction to the "Decameron,
we have a most graphic description
of the plague in Florence where it first
appeared in l34s. The picture drawn by
Boccaccio is most vivid and. shows the
demoralizing influence exerted by the cpl
demic. no less than the terrible nature OF
the disease itself. He ascribes its origin
10 "the influence OF. the planets. or, that
II was sent from God as just punish
mert for our SINS" lie describes the as
ease as follows: There appeared certain
tumors in the groin or under the arm
pits. some as big as a small apple. others
as an egg, and afterwards purple spots
I'm most parts of the body; in some
cases. large and but few in number, III
others. smaller and more numerous-both
sorts the usual messengers OF oed1h;
Ii was the appearance of these purple
spots which gave the disease the name OF
.the. black DEATH" while the glandular
swelling Cbuboes) I'm the groin and aXilla
gave rise 10 the term bubonic plague
To quote some Of the most interesting
passages from Boccaccio:
"To the cure of this malady tnelther
medical knowledge nor the power Oh
drugs was of any effect pu1
nearly all died the third day from the
first appearance of symptoms. ,
..yhaf gave the more vruience TO this
nIaeue was that by being communicated
from the sick to the hale II spread
daily. ike fire when It comes in contact
with large masses of combusubles.
"Tne consecrated ground no longer
containing the numbers when were
,,ro,gbt tbither they were forced
10 dig trenches, and TO put theIh III ~
hundreds. piling them up in rows as
goods slowed in a ship. and throwing IN
q little earth till they were filled TO the
top" r,o 4. .
@bat between March and July following,
according TO authentic reckoninss' up
wards of 10000 souls perished IN the Guy
only. whereas, before that calamity II
was not supposed 10 nave coh'diiieu %
many inhabitants
N1ot,TAIJTY THROUGHOUT EUROPE.
This epidemic of the plague. as before
stated. invaded all Europe. and, 10 give
an idea of its terrible ravages, 1t is stated
Inv Hecker that during its prevalence
which extended over some years, 25oVO,-
600 persons died of the disease this being
one fourth of the entire estimated popu-
lation of Europe at that time!
During the fifteenth and sixteenth cen
turtles there were numerous outbreaks oi
me plague in various sections Of Europe,
some OF them closely approaching in NOR
tality the one above referred to. In the
seventeenth century, again, the plague
frequently visited Europe. The cIearesi
idea of the number OF epidemics ana
tbeir attending fatality can be obtained
from the records of its occurrence in
London. where, from the beginning OF
the century, weekly, bills of mortality
of deaths from all causes were pub
,lshed.
shortly after the accession OF James L.
,n 1ooa there was an epidemic of the
n,ague in London. which carried off $500
persons IN that city. The second, in 1863
was attended with a mortality OF n.7@
that OF 1926 with a mortality of S5,4lI
that of 1886 with a mortality OF 1000
while IN the fifth London epidemic Of tho
saventeenth century, ending in 1647. Their,
wore 1897 deaths. During these years the
Number of deaths from the plague in the
other European countries, as well as IN
Egypt, was enormous.
These dates correspond TO those out
,,oaka of the disease of sufficiently
large proportions 10 constitute epide-
mics but from 1908 to the outbreak OF
ire sixth epidemic in London-the great
plague of 1665-there were only three
years in which no deaths from th''
SIsaase were recorded i'm the bills oil
morality. From this enumeration II
viii be seen that the great plague OF
,sfs was by no means a new expert
epce. The fact that IL is the most
familiar TO us is due TO its SURPRISING
IA horror and fatality all previous out
br.oks. and to the number Of writings II
which accounts OF it are preserved.
THE GREAT PLAGUE IN LONDON.
No account OF the plague, however
hries. would be complete without a dis
orss!on of This great epidemic. Tn,
e.ty had been unusually healthy when
An November. 1864, two Frenchmen dice
OF The plague in Drury lane. and a third
in the same house, In December. Al
Ter this there was a respite for ST,
weeks. another case developing in th'
same neighborhood about the middle o.
February Several more appeared during
the winter. but Il was not until MAY
sbat the disease had assumed anythin,