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16 Dreadful Details about the Black Plague

Shaina Lucas September 18, 2018 18 min

The Decameron - Black Death — A 14th-century etching by L. Sabatelli depicting the Black Death in Florence as described in Boccaccio’s Decameron. Wikimedia Commons.

Painting illustrating the devastation of the Black Death. – The National Interest

3. People Did The Craziest Things To Combat The Plague

People tried everything to combat the plague and avoid it. They tried to be happy and avoid bad thoughts, drank only good wine, avoided eating fruit, put fragrant herbs in beverages, avoided lechery, didn’t abuse the poor (which you shouldn’t do anyway), ate and drank in moderation, maintained a household in accordance with a person’s status, among other things. Doctors believed that bad smells could drive out the plague, so some treatments for the disease were using urine and dung. This caused the disease to spread rather than cure it.

With the idea of bad smells curing them, bathing was discouraged. Their first idea was the changing of clothes was a sign of vanity which angered God and was subsequently punished for their sins. Bathing was also believed to open pores, which hot water does, and caused the bad air to enter and exit the body. This was believed in Europe up until the 19th century. Due to not bathing, the Black Death caused the first instance of using Eau de Cologne and perfumes to cover up odors. So we have pestilence to thank for our fancy perfumes and body sprays.

Written by

Shaina Lucas

Shaina Lucas is an avid historical buff. She graduated in 2013 from York College of PA with her BA in Professional Writing, Creative Writing, and World History. She then graduated from SNHU in 2015 with her MA, and in 2018 graduated with her MFA in Creative Writing from National University. She is a local actress in York, PA and specializes in Shakespeare, Medieval history, comic history, and the French Revolution. She is also an avid collector of swords and knives from various time periods.