This document discusses the history and symptoms of several infectious diseases including plague, leprosy, syphilis, smallpox, tuberculosis, and influenza. It describes how plague killed nearly half of Europe's population in the 14th century and how leprosy victims were exiled from society. Syphilis was controversial in its origins and led to fears about venereal disease. Smallpox devastated native populations in the Americas and variolation techniques provided some immunity. Tuberculosis was a major cause of death until modern times and sanatoriums were developed to treat patients. Influenza continues to cause pandemics throughout history.

1. R O B E R T F E R R I S
K R Y S T Y N A G E L I N S K I
History of Infectious Diseases and
Attitudes Towards Them

2. Topics
Plague
Leprosy
Syphilis
Smallpox
Tuberculosis
Influenza

3. Bubonic Plague
Also referred to as, “The Black Death”
 Pandemic of 1348-1351, Medieval Europe
 Waves every 21-25 years
 45% English population wiped out
 In total 1/3 across Europe

4. Symptoms
 High fever
 Chills
 Malaise
 Headache
 Prostration
 Painful swelling of lymph nodes
 Suppuration of lymph nodes (inguinal, axillae)
 Very Severe: Gangrene

5. Miasmatic Theory
Belief the plague came from venomous
or putrid smelling air (bad odors)
Should not wear thick or shaggy
clothes Trapped the bad air “inside”
Lead to beak-like masks filled with
perfumed towels, sweet scents

8. Leprosy
Also referred to as, “Hansen’s
Disease”
Susbruta sambita (600 B.C.) believed
to describe leprosy
Pathognomonic: Lion’s head (facies
leontina)

9. Symptoms
Lesions of the skull
Swollen lips
Subcutaneous nodules
Ashen-colored skin
Infected ulcers, wounds
Insensitivity to pain (neglect)

10. Response
 Excluded from society “Rejected by his gods and is to be
rejected by mankind”
 Could not marry, touch infants
 Live in special compounds, leprosaria or lazarettos
 Wear recognizable clothes, a bell
 “Dead in life” funeral services to emphasize no longer
members of the living

13. Syphilis
Also referred to as, “lues”
Controversy of origins, America to
Europe? Mutation? Tropical to colder
climate? Merge?
Multiple contagious factors such as
linen undergarments, poison,
unfavorable weather

14. Symptoms
Primary: Skin lesions, chancres
Secondary: rash, fever, malaise, weight
loss, hair loss, headache
Tertiary: Formation chronic gummas,
syphilitic meningitis, syphilitic aortitis,
paralytic dementia

15. Response
 Julius Rosenbaum theory, pleasure not procreation
 Many people sided with this theory because of major figures
who were inflicted such as Pope Alexander VI and his son,
Cesare Borgia, Tsar Ivan the Terrible, Tudors of England
 Had influence on historical battles because soldiers would
try to reduce stress and misery of war, contracted the disease
and were left sapped of energy and morale
 Fear of venereal disease lead to increased sports programs
and physical activities to keep young men focused on the
tasks at hand

17. Smallpox
Originally known as, “The Pox”
20-40% mortality rate
Deadliest form in 1518, America
Essentially wiped out Mayans, Aztecs
and Incas (no immunity)
Aztec Empire goes from 30 million to
3 million

18. Symptoms
Fever followed shortly by skin
rash (papular lesions)
Vesicular lesions (fluid filled)
Pustular lesions

19. Variolation
Partially healed lesion scabs ground
into dust, blown through nostrils
Children fed material from skin lesions
Rubbing fluid in scratches on patient’s
arms
Sometimes people acquired smallpox
in its entirety but after these methods
mortality rate was halved

22. Tuberculosis
• Historically known as “consumption”
• Ancient: at least as far back as Upper Paleolithic Era
• Associated with vampirism in pre-industrial years
• Cause of nearly 25% of European deaths in the 19th
Century

23. Symptoms
 Fever
 Chills
 Weight loss
 Fatigue
 Infections in the pleura
 Osteomyelitis

24. Identification

25. Sanatoriums
 Improved understanding of disease
 Dedicated centres for TB sufferers
 Some misconceptions prevailed
 Sanatoriums phased out

26. Influenza
“Flu” has multiple variations
Repeated pandemics throughout
history
Continuous scares

27. Symptoms
 Fever
 Cough
 Chills
 Aches
 Fatigue
 Headache
 Secondary pneumonia

28. Response
 No immunity, future pandemics likely
 Vaccines exist, imperfect solution
 Social measures most effective
Response

29. Thank you for
your attention!
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