The Plague Year

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Book Cover The Plague Year (2021)

The Plague Year refers to the year 1665, during which the Great Plague of London occurred. This devastating outbreak of bubonic plague was part of the Second Pandemic, a series of plague epidemics that began with the Black Death in the 14th century and continued until the early 19th century.

Background

The Great Plague of London was the last major epidemic of the bubonic plague to occur in England. The disease is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which is typically transmitted through the bite of an infected flea that has fed on an infected rodent, such as a rat.

Outbreak

The plague began in the spring of 1665 and spread rapidly through the city of London. The summer months saw the highest mortality rates, with thousands of people dying each week. The disease caused swelling of the lymph nodes, known as buboes, along with fever, chills, and other severe symptoms.

Impact

The Great Plague of London had a profound impact on the city's population and infrastructure. It is estimated that about 100,000 people, or roughly 15% of London's population at the time, perished due to the plague. The outbreak led to widespread panic and the implementation of various public health measures, including the quarantine of infected households and the killing of stray animals.

Aftermath

The plague began to subside in the autumn of 1665, and by early 1666, the number of new cases had significantly decreased. However, the city of London faced another disaster shortly thereafter with the outbreak of the Great Fire of London in September 1666, which destroyed much of the city.

Cultural References

The Plague Year has been the subject of various literary and historical works. One of the most notable accounts is Daniel Defoe's A Journal of the Plague Year, published in 1722. Although Defoe was only five years old during the plague, his work is a detailed and vivid account of the events, based on various sources and possibly the experiences of his uncle.

See Also

• Black Death
• Great Fire of London
• Second Pandemic
• Yersinia pestis
• Daniel Defoe
• A Journal of the Plague Year