The Black Death. Plague

1.

The Black
1665
Death

2.

Essay Title: Assess the impact of the plague of 1665 in the
social context of this disease. Analyse how it led to the
remapping of London, which was further accelerated by the
Great Fire.
Outline:
Introduction
The Black Death of 1665 and its role in the history of the
Kingdom of England.
Historical relationships between the environment and
disease. The influence of the plague on public health
planning.
The Great Fire of 1666 and the remapping of London
Conclusion
Questions???

3.

Plague Bacteria
Yersinia pestis
Rat Flea
A flea clings to rat fur in
this colored scanning
electron micrograph

4.

Pieter Bruegel's "The Triumph of Death"
The painting reflects the social upheaval and terror
that followed the plague that devastated medieval
Europe. London was «might well be said to be all in tears».
Defoe (1722)

5.

6.

• Transcript of orders for the prevention of the plague (1666,SP29/155
f.102, The National Archives, Web., Retrieved 14 March, 2014) claimed
that «No stranger was allowed to enter a town unless they had a
certificate of health.
• Treatments and prevention in 1665 did not help.
• There is no clear evidence how the doctors reacted to the plague during
its emergence, but subsequent improvements in health planning can be
obviously seen. (Twigg, 1993, cited in Champion,1993:1)

7.

8.

9.

On the night of 2nd September 1666 the Great Fire of London
started with the bakery of Thomas Farrinner.
(Champion,1993:35) on Pudding Lane. (cited in Champion,1993:35)

10.

Financial damage from the Great Fire was also massive and
constituted ten million pounds, however it gave an inspiration for
the professionals to produce new schemes protecting people's
housings.(Champion, 1993:56)

11.

References:
1. A Journal of the Plague Year, by Daniel Defoe. University of
Adelaide, Last updated: 27 Feb, 2014. Retrieved: 14 Mar,
2014.
2. The National Archives, The Great Plague of 1665-6.
How did London respond to it?, Retrieved: 14,
March,2014
3. Champion, J.A.I., Epidemic Disease in London, Centre for
Metropolitan History, Institute of Historical research,
University of London, 1993..