The Great Plague of London in 1665-1666 was the last major outbreak of bubonic plague in Britain. No cure was available, and victims were quarantined in their homes. The disease was transmitted by fleas on rats, and popular prevention measures were ineffective. The epidemic began in St. Giles-in-the-Fields and spread throughout the city, resulting in over 68,000 documented deaths. The disease peaked in September 1665 and continued into 1666. The epidemic seemed to have ended in September 1666, coinciding with the Great Fire of London.
The Great Plague was the last major outbreak of the bubonic plague in Britain in 1665 and 1666. No treatment or cure was available and victims were quarantined in their homes. Official records list 68,576 deaths resulting from the plague, but thousands of undocumented victims died, and most experts agree the actual number of deaths is around 100,000.
The bubonic plague was well known to the English people of the 17th century. The 14th-century Black Death, which swept across Europe and killed nearly a third of the population, was still widely discussed, and epidemics were an annual occurrence. It was a terrible disease with no cure, which quickly took hold of the body with pain and fever, killing the victim within days.
While the disease was well known, it was not well understood. There were a number of popular theories about the infection, each with its own recommended prevention measures. The noses were sniffed to counteract the poisons in the air, and animals considered potential carriers were killed. Fires were lit to burn off the contagion, and tobacco smoke was believed to help. Others appealed to God in prayer or turned to superstition, wearing magical amulets for protection.
In reality, the disease was transmitted by mice, or rather, by fleas that lived on mice. During the years leading up to the Great Plague, London’s population exploded and the rat population grew as well. When cats and dogs, believed at the time to carry disease, were killed by the tens of thousands, the rats no longer faced urban predators, allowing the rat population to grow without limit.
The Great Plague of London began just outside the city walls, in a parish called St. Giles-in-the-Fields. The first case was discovered in April 1665. By the end of May, the number of victims had risen to 11. These victims were locked in their own homes and a red cross was painted on the door. However, the number of cases continued to rise throughout St. Giles-in-the-Fields and, by July, the disease was within the city walls.
After one house was cross-marked, the entire family was placed in quarantine. With no hope of recovery or healing, this was a death sentence. Guards have been sent to prevent people from escaping the quarantined homes. The bodies were left on the street at night for collection. The men with the carts shouted “Bring out your dead” and carried the bodies to one of the plague pits.
By September 1665, the Great Plague had reached its peak, with more than 8,000 official reports of deaths that month. The cold winter brought a respite from disease, but deaths continued into 1666, especially in outlying communities. Finally, in September 1666, the epidemic seemed to have ended. Coincidentally, the Great Fire of London occurred this month, but the fire does not appear to have ended the Great Plague.
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