The Grim Realities of 17th Century London: Death and Disease
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Chapter 1: Life and Death in 1600s London
In the 1600s, London was a densely populated and unsanitary city, far smaller than the sprawling metropolis we know today. The narrow streets, lined with fragile wooden structures, often obscured the sky above. This overcrowding led to dire circumstances; in 1666, a small fire from a bakery ignited a devastating blaze that consumed over a third of the city's buildings. Remarkably, fewer than ten lives were lost in this catastrophe. The real threat was the plague, which decimated the population of 17th century London.
The Great Plague of 1665
The plague first struck Britain in 1348, known as the Black Death, wiping out nearly half of the population. It made a harrowing return in 1665, claiming approximately a quarter of London's residents within a year. The disease was spread by fleas that thrived on black rats, often jumping to humans when their hosts perished. Victims developed egg-sized swellings, known as buboes, typically in the armpits, followed by severe vomiting, diarrhea, and skin bleeding. In rare cases, if the buboes burst and released foul-smelling pus, there was a slight chance of survival; otherwise, death followed swiftly.
With the scientific understanding of diseases still in its infancy, many misguided theories about the plague's origins circulated. Some believed it was caused by 'bad air' from the stench of open sewers. In a misguided attempt to control the outbreak, authorities exterminated around 250,000 cats and dogs, wrongly assuming they were disease carriers. Religious interpretations also flourished: Catholics viewed it as divine retribution for straying from faith, while Protestants blamed it on the persistence of Catholicism. Astrologers, popular at the time, attributed the plague to the alignment of celestial bodies, and quacks sold dubious remedies in an attempt to cure the afflicted.
Understanding Mortality through Bills of Mortality
Public record-keeping during this era was rudimentary at best. Before the late 1500s, death records were limited to burial lists without cause of death. Formal registration became mandatory only in 1837. However, starting in 1592, London officials began publishing weekly "Bills of Mortality," providing intriguing insights into the various, often bizarre, causes of death.
These records reveal the staggering impact of the plague, accounting for more than half of the recorded fatalities. The murder rate, noted to be about one per week, surprisingly mirrors modern statistics, suggesting some continuity in urban life. The records also reflect the religious fervor of the time, as many believed unbaptized infants could not enter heaven.
Among the peculiar ailments listed—such as "Kingsevil," "Rising of the Lights," "Flux," and "Impostume"—it's crucial to understand the limited medical knowledge of the era. Diagnoses often described symptoms rather than actual diseases. For instance, "Griping in the Guts" indicated a painful condition rather than a specific illness.
Exploring Unique Causes of Death
- Kingsevil: This referred to scrofula, a lymph node tuberculosis that was fatal then but treatable today with antibiotics. The belief that royal touch could cure it began with King Edward the Confessor and persisted until the reign of Queen Anne.
- Rising of the Lights: A term for lung-related deaths, possibly linked to what we now recognize as croup.
- Imposthume: Refers to a pus-filled cyst, an ailment that could lead to severe complications.
- Chrisomes: Infants who perished within their first month were labeled as such, named after the white cloth they wore during baptism.
- Dropsie: This term denoted subcutaneous swelling, commonly known today as edema.
- Flux: Now referred to as dysentery, highlighting the poor sanitation and drinking water conditions of the time.
- Teeth: An unusual listing indicating deaths attributed to teething, reflecting a lack of understanding of infant health issues.
The Bills of Mortality continued until the early 19th century when they were succeeded by more formalized statistics. They remain a valuable resource for historians and enthusiasts alike, illuminating a crucial period in London's history and the evolution of public health understanding.
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