Summary Of The Great Mortality By John Kelly

The book, “The Great Mortality” by John Kelly, explores how the Black Death spread across Europe and Asia from 1347 to 1351 and left a trail of terrors in its path. Kelly describes the history of the plague from witnesses of the disaster. It describes how the black rat flea, Xenopsylla cheopis spread the infection throughout this region, killing over half of the population. Kelly describes the measures taken by the town, the church and health organizations to prevent the Plague from spreading. Although there are many important issues brought to light by Kelly, some offer more discussion and though than others. The Black Death entered Europe over the ocean in 1347 during the time when Genoese ships arrived in Sicily. When the ships arrived,

Due to being uneducated about the sickness, how it was spread and being unable to understand biology of diseases, people assumed that this was retribution from above due to their sins. Many medical and biological advances have been made since the Black Death; we now understand biochemistry and the molecular makeup of diseases, bacteria and viruses. We understand how infection occurs and how to prevent some of the infections and even how to cure most infections. But during this time period these advances had not been made, so they were left speechless. This event caused people to go into streets and beat themselves with whips asking for forgiveness from god, and to engage in other public displays of pain and punishment. Most of the Muslims believed that it was a plan from heaven and that this many people should die because it all was part of the plan. They did not want to interrupt what god had in store for them in fear of not being accepted into heaven. They believed it was up to God to choose who contracts the plague and who doesn’t. One leader in particular, Ibn al-Khatib was killed for these dangerous ideas along with thousands of Jews were killed in the streets because it was believed that they were troublemakers and they caused the Black Death. There were many, which were burned alive for all to

Although we still have cases of the plague today, people usually develop flu like symptoms and can be treated. These documented records allow us to see the full effect of the plague without putting lives at risk. Kelly documents that the most common form is transmitted by a fleabite and has an incubation period of two to six days. He describes that the most common symptoms are egg shaped bubos, which are raised knots on the skin. The book describes the bubos as tumor-like such as an aggressive cancer cell and once the tumor is inside of the body it multiplies. The historical recorded of symptoms and events leading up to the plague help to understand the plague today and how to better prevent another