INTRODUCTION – WHAT WAS THE GREAT PLAGUE?

THE GREAT PLAGUE OF 1665, WAS ANOTHER OUTBREAK OF THE FATAL BUBONIC PLAGUE THAT KILLED UP TO 100,000 PEOPLE. IT DESTROYED FAMILIES, WIDOWED WOMEN, BROKE BONDS, FORCED ANIMALS TO BE CULLED, KILLED CHILDREN AND DEALT DAMAGE!! IT WAS HORRIFIC!

OCCASIONALLY, THE SIGHT OF THE DAY WAS ROWS OF DECOMPOSING CORPSES LYING IN THE STREETS IN POOLS OF BLOOD AND VOMIT. HOW DISTURBING! RIGHT?

ANYWAY, WAS THIS COUNTRY EVER RESCUED FROM THEIR INEVITABLE PERIL? WAS THE APOCALYPSE GOING TO BE A LONG LASTING ONE? FIND OUT!!

CHAPTER 1 – WHAT ARE MICROORGANISMS?

HMM… WHAT REALLY ARE MICROORGANISMS? WHAT PURPOSE DO THEY SERVE? WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT IN OUR WORLD? VERY INTERESTING QUESTIONS INDEED! MICROORGANISMS ARE MICROSCOPIC ORGANISMS THAT ARE SO TINY THAT MAGNIFICATION (THE ACTION OF MAGNIFYING SOMETHING OR THE PROCESS OF BEING MAGNIFIED). MICROORGANISMS NEED ADEQUATE AND PARTICULAR CONDITIONS TO GROW: THEY NEED ENOUGH OXYGEN, THEY NEED ENOUGH WARMTH AND THEY NEED ENOUGH MOISTURE AND DAMPNESS. SOME EXAMPLES OF MICROORGANISMS ARE: BACTERIA, VIRUSES, FUNGI, ALGAE, PROTOZOA, VIROIDS, PRIONS, ARCHAEA, EUKARYA, EUBACTERIA, CYANOBACTERIA, YEASTS AND MOLDS.

CHAPTER 2 – WHAT MICROORGANISM CAUSED THE PLAGUE?

AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF MICROORGANISMS; HOWEVER, THE PARTICULAR MICROORGANISM THAT CAUSED THE PLAGUE WAS A BACTERIA. BUT AT THAT, THERE ARE STILL SEVERAL VARIOUS TYPES OF BACTERIA. AS SUCH, THE SPECIFIC BACTERIA THAT CAUSED THE GREAT PLAGUE WAS CALLED YERSINIA PESTIS. FIRST OF ALL, THIS BACTERIA WAS CAUGHT BY A SPECIES OF RAT CALLED THE BLACK RAT; THIS RAT PASSED IT ON TO THE FLEAS THAT BIT THEM. EVENTUALLY, IT WAS CAUGHT BY THE DIRTY LONDONERS.

CHAPTER 3 – WHAT MEASURES WERE TAKEN TO TRY TO CURE THE PLAGUE?

EXTREME MEASURES WERE TAKEN TO CURE THE PLAGUE AND BY EXTREME, I REALLY MEAN EXTREME!!! THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO CAME UP WITH THEIR OWN PERSONAL THEORIES FOR HOW THE PLAGUE CAME TO BE; ONE OF THESE THEORIES, WAS THAT THE PLAGUE WAS CAUSED BY BAD SMELLS. PLAGUE DOCTORS WOULD ATTEND TO THE INFECTED PEOPLE BUT THEY WOULD ALSO WEAR PROTECTIVE GEAR TO COVER THEMSELVES. ANOTHER MEASURE TAKEN TO TRY AND CURE THE PLAGUE WERE THE WATCHMEN; THEIR JOB WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAD THE PLAGUE WERE KEPT WITHIN ENCLOSED AREAS. THIS COSTUME (ON THE NEXT PAGE) LOOKS QUITE ECCENTRIC RIGHT? IT’S WHAT THE PLAGUE DOCTORS WORE.

CHAPTER 4 – WHAT WERE THE SYMPTOMS OF THE PLAGUE?

FIRST OF ALL, THE VICTIM WOULD GET LARGE SWELLINGS EITHER IN THE GROINS OR IN THEIR ARMPIT.

SECONDLY, THE VICTIM WOULD BREAK OUT IN LARGE RED AND BLACK SPOTS.

THIRDLY, THE VICTIM WOULD FEEL PAIN ON THEIR BODY AND BECOME LETHARGIC.

FOURTHLY, THE VICTIM’S TEMPERATURE WOULD INCREASE AND AFFECT THEIR BRAIN AND NERVES.

FIFTHLY, THE VICTIM WOULD START TO STUMBLE AS IF THEY WERE DRUNK.

AFTER THAT, THE VICTIM’S LYMPHATIC GLANDS WOULD BECOME SWOLLEN AND INFLAMED.

FINALLY, THE VICTIM WOULD BREAK OUT IN BUBOES AND EVENTUALLY DIE.

CONCLUSION – WHAT DAMAGE DID THE PLAGUE DEAL?

IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, I BELIEVE THAT THE PLAGUE WAS JUST ANOTHER WAY TO PROVE THAT YOU DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER! THE MICROORGANISM THAT CAUSED THE PLAGUE WAS SO SMALL BUT SO MIGHTY! IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THE CAUSE OF THE PLAGUE WAS NOT DISCOVERED EARLY ENOUGH! CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW SAD THAT IS? SO MANY PEOPLE DIED!!