Disaster

The Black Death 1347- 1351 The Famine of 1315-1317 By 1300 Europeans were farming almost all the land the could cultivate A population crisis developed Climate changes in Europe produced three years of crop failures between 1315-17 because of excessive rain. As many as 15% of the peasants in some English villages died. One consequence of starvation & poverty was susceptibility to disease. 1347: Plague Reaches Constantinople! The Symptoms Bulbous Septicemic Form: almost 100% mortality rate The Disease Cycle Flea drinks rat blood that carries the bacteria Bacteria multiply in flea?s guy Flea?s guy clogged with bacteria Flea bites human and regurgitates blood into human wound Human is infected! Boccaccio in The Decameron