The Plague. It went places.

[MrScorpio]

http://science-in-a-jar.tumblr.com/post/47960317956/siriuslyawesome-detenebrate-0xymoronic

[lindysalsagal]

1. "Bring out yer dead!" "I'm feeling quite better!"

And it all started in Sicily.....

[MrScorpio]

3. It actually started in Constantinople. Sicily was one of the early infection points as key port nt

[Sekhmets Daughter]

6. It began in China or central Asia and traveled along the Silk Road to Crimea

or central Asia (think Kazakhstan) and traveled along the Silk Road to the Crimea by 1346.

[MrScorpio]

7. Thanks nt

[Sekhmets Daughter]

8. You're welcome....

I read a fascinating book a few years back about the Black Death plague.

[RZM]

23. Yes. And then I believe a Genoese ship brought it to Italy fromt he Crimea? I think anyway n/t

[Sekhmets Daughter]

24. Yes, that is presumed to be the route....following trade routes n/t

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

2. At first read, I thought the post was a cautionary tale for proper dental hygiene - I read 'plaque'

instead of 'plague.'

[cliffordu]

12. You owe me a new monitor.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

4. Intersting explanations as to why

Poland avoided the plague and how Milan survived!

[MrScorpio]

5. There are some possible reasons explained in the link comments nt

[Recursion]

14. IIRC Milan refused to take refugees, and Christians were afraid to go to Poland

because Jewish people lived there.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

16. The good people of Milan, burned down the houses where plague was suspected

over the heads of those inside...I've read this in other sources.... Lucky thing for the Jews of Poland, many of whom had been evicted from their homeland, plague found little purchase in Poland because Jews did not throw excrement into the streets and even bathed!

[onehandle]

9. Yay Maps!

Oh Fuck! Plague!

[Arugula Latte]

10. I was bullish on it.

[freshwest]

13. Why did it miss Poland (?) repeatedly?

[Recursion]

15. As W reminds us...

[Brigid]

19. I was about to ask the same thing.

[sarge43]

20. In her book, A Distant Mirror, Barbara Tuchman said that

the Polish government established a stringent quarantine at all border crossings and ports. FWIW

[freshwest]

21. Thanks, I hadn't considered that 'government' was strong enough to do that back then.

But then, my knowledge of the era is strictly from an Anglo perspective. Appreciate insight from you on this question here and your other posts.

[sarge43]

25. The Polish government of that time was quite strong, centralized and enlightened

Another factor by the time the Black Death got to Eastern Europe it was beginning to burn itself out. Virulent plagues tend to kill off too many hosts thus leaving too few vectors. So they generally will either die off or mutate into a less lethal strain.

Timing and good planning

[freshwest]

26. I've read too, that Norwegians who survived have a certain anomaly in their blood. Wish I could find

the article, but it was considered to be an unhealthy trait. It said there were blood factors more vigorous persons had which the plague bacteria could use to multiply faster. Those without it, were more likely to survive.

So that some genetics that might not be considered the best overall, helped people to survive. I found that a bit mind boggling, considering our present beliefs about health. Extraordinary.

Polish strength or wealth may explain why they were often invaded. It's not mentioned in the history books I've read that much, only in passing. Much is excluded by historians...

[sarge43]

27. Wealth and some of the best farm land in Europe nt

[MiddleFingerMom]

17. Geography's not my strong point, but it looks like...

.
.
.
... it stopped advancing northward when it reached the Canadian border.
.
.
.
Poutine -- is there anything it can't do?
.
.
.

[Loryn]

18. I hope you're happy.

You made me spit out my tea.

[rug]

22. What's with Milan?