What was the Plague?

Question

You know that song "ring around the rosey"? My friend said that song was about the Plague but I don't really know what that is. Does anyone know?

Answer 1

Don't forget that the Bubonic Plague, #1, was followed quickly (for those days) by the Pneunomic Plague.

The Bubonic Plague wasn't as lethal as Pneunomic, which could be spread by sneezing, or basically getting it into your lungs by tending to a loved one or walking on the street. Pneunomic Plague was almost 99% lethal.

The nursery rythme was developed during this time - and I suggest you take a look at the website you've been given.

Plague is STILL around - particularly in the American Southwest It remains a "Weapon of Mass Destruction" and some is stored by many governments - including ours - for this purpose and to try to develop a vaccine or a cure.

Answer 2

Google "Yersinia pestis."  The pandemic of the fourteenth century wiped out about a third of Europe, by some estimates. Lest you feel too comfy about it, sporadic cases of bubonic or even pulmonic plague occasionally crop up in Arizona!

Answer 3

Well I have to correct everyone and say that the bubonic plague was not the Black Death and the song is actually incorrect as well. The song is about the Black Death and when it was written it was believed to have been bubonic plague however more recent studies have proven that bubonic plague could not have been the cause of those deaths. For one thing the Black Death killed people in Iceland but at the time the rat species that carried the disease was not there. Secondly it travelled much to fast to coincide with the transportation of the fleas or carriers. The Black Death was actually a hemorrhagic fever much like modern day ebola that wiped out huge populations in Europe reducing some by up to 50%.

Answer 4

The song ("Ring-a-ring o' roses" - UK version) may or may not have anything to do with the plague depending on whom you believe, but if so it's referring to the Great Plague that swept through London in 1665, killing up to 100,000 people, roughly one fifth of the population of the city.

This disease was transported through the skin by flea bites and is known as bubonic plague since one of it's common symptoms were the swelling of the lymph glands found in the neck, armpits and groin known as buboes. These, along with red splotches on other parts of the skin, would turn black; the victim would develop a fever and 'flu-like symptoms and would vomit blood coupled with terrible pains. Occasionally this would develop into blood poisoning or pneumonia. Usually the victim would only survive a maximum of three days after the infection became acute. There was no cure at the time, if you caught it, it was a death sentence.

This was the most severe outbreak of "plague" since the 14th century and no one at the time knew what caused it. The flea that brought the infection to Europe arrived on the fur of the Asian black rat that had stowed away on the merchant trading ships. It took another disaster, The Great Fire of the following year, to bring the spread under control.

The 14th century pandemic that swept across Europe decimating one third of the population is possibly not the same plague that struck in 1665. It is more likely a form of haemmorhagic fever (like the Ebola virus) since the symptoms are slightly different, it's incubation period is longer and it travelled and spread further in a shorter time. Although it did turn various parts of the skin a dark purple or black giving rise to it's universally recognised name "The Black Death".

There are still vast plague-pits around London where the bodies of the dead were thrown to be covered. One is believed to contain up to 1,000 corpses. To this day it is still illegal to build on these sites or dig down further than 3 feet.

Answer 5

The Bubonic Plague, (Black Death), was a deadly disease which became a pandemic in Europe during the 14th century.  Europe lost approximately one-third of it's population.  The disease was spread by fleas on rodents.  The plague originated in Asia.

Answer 6

The Plague was an illness that wiped out 1/5th of Europe's population in the 14th century. It was also known as the Black Death. Later studies concluded they way it spread was fleas on rats.

Answer 7

Hypersquirrel

If you are going to "correct" people on their answers make sure you've actually read them first. Take a closer look at Moriarty's as it appears that s/he has already covered the points you claim have been neglected.  

Answer 8

It's a disease that that nearly killed off all the European population in the dark ages. The Japanese inflicted the plague on Nanking, China during WWII. It's still around today, but it is curable. Which means if you caught it you'd just be sent to the hospital for a few months.

Answer 9

It was a disease spread by tics which lived on black rats. Its full name is the bubonic plague, and is fairly lethal. It still exists in some areas, but not in most western countries now, thank god. It wiped out a good portion of europe at one point.

The rhyme is as follows....

Ring a ring of roses (symptoms include red ring-like lesions on the face)

A pocket full of posies (pocket full of flowers which helped get rid of the smell)

Atissue Atissue (sneezing and coughing - another symptom)

We all fall down (you're dead)