LibGuides: The Black Death: Medical Advice

Finding Resources in Accessit

Here are some books that you may find useful during your studies. Search the Bennies catalogue Oliver for more, or browse the Non-fiction collection NFS.

The Plague and Medicine in the Middle Ages by Fiona Macdonald
ISBN: 9780836858983
Publication Date: 2005-12-30
The Middle Ages were once described as dark and stagnant; "A thousand years without a bath." Now, the Middle Ages are celebrated as a time of immense social change, of outstanding achievements in art and science, and of deep spirituality. This volume uses primary sources and full-color reproductions of medieval manuscripts and artwork to bring this rich tapestry into splendid focus. Students will be introduced to unforgettable characters, from valiant knights to reclusive monks, and from kings and popes struggling for supremacy to entire villages fighting to survive the plague. Timelines and focus boxes enhance the text and help give students a deeper understanding and appreciation of this fascinating period of world history.
Medieval Medicine and the Plague by Lynne Elliott
ISBN: 9780778713906
Publication Date: 2005-10-31
Medicine was a mysterious art in the Middle Ages and had not yet benefited from the scientific discoveries we take for granted today. This astonishing new book illustrates how death and incurable disease were considered a common part of medieval life. Young readers will be fascinated by the history of the Black Death, or the Plague, which killed millions of people in Europe, and why medical treatments in the Middle Ages were often worse than the disease.
Plague unclassified : secrets of the great plague revealed by Hunter, Nick
Call Number: NFS 942.106 HUN
ISBN: 9781408192177
Publication Date: 2013
Discover the secrets of the great plague of London! For hundreds of years, plague had ravaged towns and cities all over the world. In 1665, the killer disease once again returned to London, England. As the rich fled in terror the poor, left behind to face the disease, died by the thousand. Packed with orignal artefacts and fascinating facts, meet real Londonners who lived through the plague, find out why doctors used leeches and wine to treat the sick, and discover what really caused the worst epidemic in London's history.

Cleveland Clinic

How to prevent the bubolic plague.

YouTube

A short video that explains some of the bizarre remedies and medicines used to treat people during the Black Plague.

This video takes a look at some of the medieval beliefs and ideas that were thought to have caused the plague.

The Bubonic plague, more commonly known as the Black Death due to the black ‘buboes’ that would swell in the armpits and groins of victims, decimated the population of Europe during the Middle Ages, from 1347 to 1351. As the plague's death toll increased and people continued to be struck down by the disease throughout Europe and entire families were being wiped out, plague doctors began to get desperate and creative with so-called plague “cures.”

Explore the history of the European plague doctor, and find out where their iconic outfit of a beaked mask and robe came from. -- The year is 1656. Your body is wracked by violent chills. Your head pounds and you're too weak to sit up. In your feverish state, you see a strange-looking man wearing a beak-like mask, his body covered from head to toe. Without seeing his face, you know: you have the plague. So, where did these iconic outfits come from? Stephanie Honchell Smith explores the history of plague doctors.

Science Museum

Many of the public health measures that we would recognise today first emerged during the Black Death. These included:

Medical inspections. A plague doctor would come to inspect suspected cases of plague and isolate the infected and their families in their homes.
Isolation of people who were sick in plague hospitals. Hospitals were built throughout Europe and remained as fever hospitals for infectious patients up until the 1900s.
Restricting ships to port. In 1347 the Venetian authorities isolated ships in port for 30 days to ensure they were not infected. The period was extended to 40 days, and the word 'quarantine' comes from the italian word for 40.
Control of the movement of people and goods.

World History Encyclopedia

Aside from potions, clearing the air was considered another effective remedy. Since the plague was thought to spread by “bad air”, homes were fumigated with incense or simply smoke from burning thatch. People carried bouquets of flowers which they held to their faces, not only to ward off the stench of decomposing bodies, but because it was thought this would fumigate one's lungs.

World Health Organisation

Preventive measures include informing people when zoonotic plague is present in their environment and advising them to take precautions against flea bites and not to handle animal carcasses.