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Rats killed over 75 million Europeans in the Middle Ages

2024-08-14 09:49:00, Blog Andrei Tapalaga

In the mid-1300s, humanity faced one of its darkest chapters: the Black Death.

This devastating outbreak of bubonic plague devastated vast regions, killing an estimated 75 to 200 million people.

The toll was particularly high in Europe, where 30 to 60% of the population succumbed to the relentless disease.

Originating in Asia, the Black Death spread rapidly along trade routes, reaching Europe, North Africa and Central Asia with unprecedented ferocity.

The plague was transmitted primarily by rats and fleas, which thrived in the unsanitary living conditions prevalent during the Middle Ages.

As the Black Death swept through communities, it left a trail of death and despair in its wake. Entire cities were destroyed and societies plunged into chaos as fear and uncertainty gripped the population.

The scale of the devastation was staggering, reshaping the demographic landscape of entire continents for generations to come.

Despite its medieval origins, the legacy of the Black Death lives on as a strong reminder of the fragility of human existence and the profound impact of infectious diseases on society.

How was it caused?

Plague is a dreaded infectious disease caused by a bacterium that is carried and spread by parasitic fleas found on rodents, especially the brown rat.

These tiny pests were unwitting carriers of death, transmitting the deadly bacillus to humans as they fed on their blood.

However, it wasn't just rodents that spread the plague; Other parasites, including those that inhabit human skin, may also have contributed to its transmission.

There are three main types of plague, all of which likely played a role in the devastating Black Death pandemic.

Bubonic plague, the most common form during the 14th century outbreak, was named for the agonizing swellings it caused in the lymph nodes of the groin and armpits.

These swollen nodules, known as buboes, would turn a hideous black color, thus earning the epidemic its ominous name, the "Black Death." Affected individuals also suffered from raging fevers, joint pain, and the appearance of black sores covering their bodies, evidence of internal bleeding caused by the disease.

If left untreated, bubonic plague proved fatal in a staggering percentage of cases, killing 30 to 75% of those infected, often within just 72 hours.

The other two forms of plague, pneumonic (or pulmonary) and septicemic, were equally deadly, usually resulting in death in all cases.

The great virulence of the plague and its rapid progress left little hope for those unlucky enough to contract it, casting a shadow of fear and despair over all communities during the medieval era./ Adapted from CNA