YOU THINK COVID-19 IS BAD?

Humans have been beset by plague, whether it be from the filthy living conditions during the Middle Ages or the post-WWI Spanish Flu pandemic. While our current struggles with coronavirus are serious enough and it's effects have been felt in nearly all corners of the world, it doesn't even come close to some of the diseases that mankind has been faced with throughout the ages.

One of the most deadliest periods was during The Black Death. Begun in Europe in 1347 after having been passed from -- guess where? -- Asia, it's estimated that the bubonic plague (one of the worst kinds) killed a third of the population of Europe before it literally burned itself out. If that wasn't enough, Europe was still reeling from the Great Famine that had happened earlier.

The following article (BBC HISTORY REVEALED, issue #79, March 2020) tells the story of the pestilence of the Middle Ages, what they were and the bizarre concoctions and potions that were used to treat them. An interesting side note, is that I remember reading that perfumers in France were noted as usually not being particularly subject to disease -- alcohol and the fragrance of botanical extractions seemed to be the reason.