Ibn al-Wardi (1292-1348/9) was a Syrian historian and geographer. The Plague frightened and killed. It began in the land of darkness. Oh, what a visitor! It has been current for fifteen years. China was not preserved from it nor could the strongest fortress hinder it. The plague afflicted the Indians in India. It weighed uponContinue reading “Ibn al-Wardi – On the Advance of Plague – 1348”
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Meditations in Time of Plague – Marcus Aurelius – c.161-180
The Meditations – literally “Things to One’s Self” – of the Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, is one of the best known and best loved works of philosophy. Teaching American students European history and culture in the early 2000s, it was almost invariably the text they picked out as being the most interesting and “relevant”. Marcus AureliusContinue reading “Meditations in Time of Plague – Marcus Aurelius – c.161-180”
In Praise of the Land of the Dead – a Harper’s Song – Egypt c.1300 B.C.
Some scholars consider that the description of a disease in the medical work known as the Ebers Papyrus (c.1500 B.C. but believed to be copied from earlier texts) refers to bubonic plague. It occurred to me that if this were the case, or if epidemics had been a feature of Pharaonic Egypt, there should beContinue reading “In Praise of the Land of the Dead – a Harper’s Song – Egypt c.1300 B.C.”
Seville and the Plague – 1649
The worst epidemic that Seville ever suffered was in 1649, the beginning of a long outbreak of plague, in what appear to have been its bubonic, pneumonic and septicaemic forms. The city and the surrounding areas lost between a quarter and half of their inhabitants – estimates range from 60 000 to 150 000Continue reading “Seville and the Plague – 1649”
A Litany in Time of Plague – Thomas Nashe 1592
Adieu, farewell, earth’s bliss; This world uncertain is; Fond are life’s lustful joys; Death proves them all but toys; None from his darts can fly; I am sick, I must die. Lord, have mercy on us! ***** Rich men, trust not in wealth, Gold cannot buy you health; Physic himself must fade. All thingsContinue reading “A Litany in Time of Plague – Thomas Nashe 1592”
John of Burgundy: Advice for Avoiding the Black Death – 1365
Not surprisingly, a vast number of treatises on the plague, in many tongues, were written in response to the Black Death. One of the earliest was by John of Burgundy, of whom almost nothing is known. It was translated into various languages and widely diffused. The following short section offers advice and, because of theContinue reading “John of Burgundy: Advice for Avoiding the Black Death – 1365”
A Chinese Magistrate’s Solution to Plagues of Locusts – 1699
Huang Liu-Hung’s work: A Complete Book Concerning Happiness and Benevolence is a fascinating handbook for local magistrates in Ch’ing China. It covers almost every sort of eventuality from how to an official should introduce himself to his new posting to cadastral surveys, choosing horses for the post service and prohibiting the maltreatment of servants.Continue reading “A Chinese Magistrate’s Solution to Plagues of Locusts – 1699”
Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi Describes Plague, Famine and Cannibalism – Egypt 1200 A.D.
Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi (1162-1231) was a physician and philosopher. He studied at one stage with Maimonides and Saladin was his patron. A prolific writer, primarily on medicine, his Account of Egypt is his best-known work in the West and the following is part of his account of the plague and famine he witnessed there inContinue reading “Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi Describes Plague, Famine and Cannibalism – Egypt 1200 A.D.”
Leonard Woolf on Distributing Quinine in a Malaria Epidemic Ceylon – 1909 and Samuel Baker on Endemic Diseases and their Causes Ceylon – 1854
Sometime ago there was a severe outbreak of fever in some villages in West Giruwa pattu and as the only course open to me I appointed paid distributors: but I stopped it almost immediately as they are useless. I asked that if similar cases occurred again a special dispenser might be sent but was informedContinue reading “Leonard Woolf on Distributing Quinine in a Malaria Epidemic Ceylon – 1909 and Samuel Baker on Endemic Diseases and their Causes Ceylon – 1854”
Boccaccio Describes the Black Death Florence – 1348
I had not planned to include the Preamble to the Decameron, because it is so well known, but three friends on three different continents wanted it, so here it is: Here begins the First Day of the Decameron, in which, when the author has explained how the characters, who will appear later, met together forContinue reading “Boccaccio Describes the Black Death Florence – 1348”
Plague Anthology 