It is an ancient disease mentioned in Hindoo and Christian Scriptures.
Long before the Christian era it prevailed in Greece, attacking the town
of Piræus, where it raged for two years. Egypt, Syria, Constantinople
and Rome were visited by the plague. In Constantinople the outbreak was
once so furious that during three months from 5,000 to 10,000 deaths
occurred daily. The first historical allusion to plague was made by
Rufus, a physician who lived in the reign of Trajan (A.D. 98-117), and
who mentions of glandular swellings. In 1347, plague appeared in almost
all countries in Europe, where Hecker believes, 25 millions of persons
perished. Ireland was visited by plague three hundred years after its
invasion by Patrolan, and it is said that 9,000 people died in a week
and were buried at Tallagh near Dublin—a name which means the burial
place of the plague-stricken. Plague visited England frequently, and no
fewer than eighteen epidemics are said to have occurred before the great
plague of 1665. In 1720, 40,000 out of a population of 90,000 died at
Marseilles. In 1751, 150,000 died of plague in Constantinople. In 1799
the French Army in Syria was devastated by plague. 6,000 persons died in
Malta in 1813. In 1834-35, 14,888 persons died in Alexandria out of a
population of 42,000. In 1876 there was an outbreak of the disease at
Kumaon in Northern India, where it prevailed several times during the
present century, and where it is known as the _Maha-Mari_. It is also
said that it prevailed in 1815 on the Island of Kutch, and lasted till
1821 in Kutch and Sindh. It also occurred between the years 1828 and
1838 in Jhansi, Bareilly, Pali and Jodhpore. In China the plague has
been present for a long time in an epidemic form. In 1894 60,000 persons
died at Canton. From Canton it spread to Hongkong and to Amoy. In 1895,
it visited many places in Southern China. In 1896, it was present at
Hongkong. Some people think that the disease has come to Bombay probably
from Singapore. There was an epidemic at Merv when the Bombay outbreak
appeared, others, however, think that the epidemic at Merv was not that
of plague and that the disease has come from Hongkong.
_THE LONDON EPIDEMIC OF 1665._
The following graphic and interesting account of the great London
Epidemic of 1665 is taken from Sir William Guy’s book on “Public
Health.”
“I now turn for a more exact account of the plague of 1665 to the work
of Dr. Nathaniel Hodges, a Fellow of the College of Physicians, resident
in the City, and, as his book shows, in active practice among the
victims of the disease.
“Dr. Munk, in his roll of the Royal College of Physicians of London,
says that he ‘acquired a great name among the citizens of London; that
he remained at his post and continued in unremitting attendance on the
sick,’ and that ‘during the latter part of his life he received a
regular stipend from the City of London for the performance of his
charitable office.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account