1. DISEASE: HISTORY OF
DEATH
BUBONIC PLAGUE
Beau
Benhardt
Teacher page

2. The place, Europe, the time
1347, a ship traveling from
the Black Sea port of Kaffa
docks in Sicily. Aboard
this ship was death, though
the people did not know it.
Over the next 4 years 25
million people or 1/3 of the
population of Europe died
of this dreaded affliction.

3. The disease was caused by a bacteria
known as the Yersinia Pestis.
It was transmitted by an insect known as the
rat flea.

4. METHOD OF
TRANSMISSION
• FLEA DRINKS BLOOD OF A RAT WHO
CARRIES THE DISEASE
• BACTERIA DEVELOPS WITHIN AND
CLOGS THE FLEA’S GUT
• FLEA LEAVES RAT HOST, BITES
HUMAN, AND REGURGITATES
BLOOD INTO OPEN WOUND
• HUMAN IS INFECTED

5. SYMPTOMS OF THE PLAGUE
Painful swellings in Blood vessels burst
armpits, neck, and under skin turning it
groin called buboes black.
(boo-bows).
Untreated mortality
High fever rate- 75%

6. BLACK DEATH: A TWO-
HEADED HYDRA
The plague outbreak of 1347 was one of
the first signs of an organism’s ability
to mutate to another form. A
pneumonic version of the plague
developed that killed even more quickly
and spread more readily.
What mode of transmission would
pneumonic plague use to infect a host?

7. ANSWER
Airborne transmission. The term
pneumatic refers to the pneumothorax or
chest cavity of the human body. The
pneumatic plague was inhaled by the
victim, infected the lungs, and killed them
due to respiratory failure sometimes within
24 hours !

8. TREATMENT FOR THE
PLAGUE (14TH CENTURY)
In the 14th century, knowledge of disease
was non-existent. They believed it was
caused by bad vapors or blood imbalances.
The treatment used to ‘cure’ plague would
seem bizarre by modern standards.
Bathing in human urine.
Placing dead animals in the home.
Use of leeches or bleeding the individual.

9. TREATMENT FOR PLAGUE
TODAY
Since the plague is caused by a bacteria, we
have a very effective means of treating
outbreaks.
What type of medication is used to treat
most bacterial infections ?
ANSWER: Penicillin or Antibiotics

10. HISTORY CHANGED
The outbreak of plague and subsequent
death of 1/3 of the population of Europe
had very profound social and historical
consequences.
In your journal, list some of the possible
historical changes that occurred as a
result of the plague.

11. HISTORY CHANGED
POSSIBLE ANSWERS
Government halted Loss of labor force
Commerce ceased Loss of knowledge
Trade was disrupted
Religious beliefs altered
Food production slowed

12. COULD IT HAPPEN AGAIN ?
The conditions present in the 14th century
provided an ideal situation for the development
of this devastating epidemic.
In your journal, list what environmental, social,
scientific, and sanitary changes have been made
in our present society that would limit the
possibility of a modern outbreak of the plague ?

13. ANSWER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Control of rat • Use of antibiotics
population • Improvements in the
• Use of insecticides medical profession
• Sanitary disposal of • Increased knowledge
garbage and waste of communicable
• Improved personal disease
hygiene • Quarantine procedures
on imports of food and
animals

14. THE
END

15. TEACHERS PAGE:
Objective- To make the students aware of the devastating diseases of
the past and their possible reoccurrence in the future.
Activity- The students should answer the questions presented within
the lesson in their journals.
Process- Click the mouse after each slide is completed (when the
back arrow appears) to move to the next. Certain slides require
special procedures. 1) The slide entitled Black Death 2 Headed
Hydra, let the students have 2 minutes to complete their answer
before proceeding. 2) The slide entitled Treatment for Plague, give
them 20 seconds to write their answers. 3) The slide entitled History
Changed, give 5 minutes to answer. 4) The slide titled Could it
Happen Again, give 5 minutes.