[Korb Uzam]

The Black Death
Who was responsible for the Black Death?

I recently discovered a very compelling theory about the who caused the ‘black plague.’ In short the theory states that through it’s policies the church ‘caused’ the plague. Why? I’ll explain the theory in detail.

The main cause cited for the Black Death is the rats. Or, more precisely the flees on the backs of rats. (I don’t want to get into the exact details on how fleas spread the plague, so I’ll leave that to your own research). The black plague has been seen in literature from before the time period of the ‘black death.’ This was not a new disease. So why the sudden outbreak? Well, look at a few things that were happening at the time. Around this time was the beginning of the campaign to stamp out witchcraft and along with that came the stamping out of symbols of witchcraft. Including cats. Cats are the only urban predator of the rat. With no cars, sudden boom in rat population.

Another reason why the plague spread so fast was that there was no one who knew the behavior and prevention for disease. You may know now it but ‘modern medicine’ didn’t understand the transition of diseases until relatively recent times. But, before out major outbreaks of the black death there was a group of people who understood the basics of disease prevention. The so-called ‘witches’ kept cats for a very-very important reason. Through writings and accounts that have survived it has been shown that the ‘witches’ possessed fairly sophisticated information on the prevention of plagues. Nothing like we have today, but much-much better then that known by then unfounded guild of physicians.

The third major issue I wanted to bring up was hygiene. During the time ‘bathing’ was very discouraged by the church. The church, at the time, belived that nudity created evil thoughts and should be discouraged at all costs (hay, can you see the effect of this edict on today’s life? *cough-janetjackson-cough*).

Too many rats + Ignorance + lack of simple hygiene = plague

-Korb

Ps: Please note, this is just an argument. I haven’t made up my mind yet on this subject. Although, all these events happened more then 700 years ago, it has a very important impact on our day-to-day lives. You wash your hands after handling trash, right? So did the men who filled the mass graves.

[Muler]

You missed one of the biggest factors...

The Black Death is commonly blamed on Jewish people. (Yes I am Jewish) Jewish people were more immune to the Black Death for some reason (the same way certain ethinicities are more prone or resistant to certain diseases). Many blamed it on the Jews for wanting to take over the world, so the accusers claim that the Jews poisoned the waters to kill everyone else. In result of this false rumor, about 2,000 Jews were burned alive at the stake, hanged (is it hung?), or otherwise simply executed.

Of course the accusation is false, and I think it was the infected rats in the water...

This post has been edited by Muler: 08 May 2004 - 11:28 AM

[Korb Uzam]

I didn't include that since it's so obvoius. Jews get blamed for everything, right?

[Rune Master]

Hehe, Muler. It is hanged when referring to the past tense of the act of hanging a person. Hung is the past tense when referring to the act of hanging a picture (Or something along those lines.)

[Ferret Overlord]

[Muler]

Yes, good point Garunda...

(Jew Crew! w00t!)

[Neraphym]

Heh, my halfsister's father was jewish.

Anywho, I believe the origion of the plague was a result of a battle fought in the middle east. Some people brought the plague back from that battle and it spread throughout europe. It could have easily been prevented and stuff, but thanks to the catholic church (real world Yevon...) all that bad stuff happened. If there's one thing I really hate, its the church. In fact, I'm going into detail:

1. Western Morality- They say sex is bad. I got 4 leters for you: OMFG. Sex is the only reason we exist. How can it be bad? Some people are just stupid. This was also mentioned earlier with the plague.

2. Dark Ages- Catholic policy: entertainment is a sin. You should only live with the bare minimum. Yet another extremely stupid thing they did. This taboo on invention (*cough* Yevon *cough*) set us back about 800 years. It was only until the crusades did we ever brink back culture to europe.

3. Crusades- Holy War = Bad thing! (Though it did cancel out number 2 in a way) We lost so many lives and accomplished nothing.

4. Galileo- Catholic Church: "The sun is the center of our solar system? Stupid idiot! How could that possibly be?" Galileo was excommunicated (as if that even ment something) and that was only taken back recently, I think at was in the 1990's. It took them 400 years to realize he was right...

5. Haulocaust- Catholic Church: "What haulocoaust? I see nothing I should stop." The church condoned the killing of millions of innocent jews. Now I'm beginning to think nuking the vatican would be a great idea.

Sorry for that off topic rant. I'm just venting.

[X Zolon]

Guys guys guys... it's as simple as this.

The plague originated in China around about 300 BC (Yes...) And it occasionally popped up and kileld people. The oriental rat flea carried it (A gene in the flea caused the plague) and fed off the blood of rats. The rats would die, fleas would flee to a new host, usually a rat or a human. in the 1300's, China was a central hub for trading. So, naturally, a rat showed up, died, fleas attacked traders which spread the plague out in numerous places. From here, people travelled around screaming of the apocalypse, spreading it further. People would wall their towns in, but failed to realise it was the rats that carried the deadly flea. The dead bodies of fallen creatures (people too) were highly contageous. Oftentimes, there were not enough people left to bury the dead, so they left them in the streets. Thus, plague was caught there too.

It was not originated from poor hygene. That just made people sicker and easier to kill.

People just did not realise it was carried by the fleas (Xenopsylla cheopsis I believe...) and therefore could not protect themselves from the evil Yersinia Pestis!

[Korb Uzam]

[Neraphym]

I completely forgot about how sexist the church is (not was...). I'd go an another rant, but you summed it up for me.

[asyluman]

They just dumped the dead in a big pit creepily crawling with....errr....creepy crawlies. A simple pyre may have helped a lot.

Oh, i'm jewish too. woot!

[Ferret Overlord]

Yeah... people pretty much sucked back then.

[Atilla]

it's been proven that the Plague cannot be blamed on anything but rats, since rats are the ones who carried the disease, and people didn't care to extinguish of rats because they weren't a pest problem until then. this was in my AP European History textbook. people didn't know the disease was being carried by rats, it was as simple as that.

[marek999999]

the rats carried the diease the got on a boat some how witch got on a boat some how contained materials for clothes delevered to this guy that made the clothes he was the first to die (i think)thats how it started in england well 1 at lest simular to 1 of the ones above