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DarkAlman t1_jadsuv7 wrote

The main reason for the end of the black death was the implementation of successful Quarantines that allowed pockets of infection to burn themselves out.

But it didn't disappear overnight, numerous smaller local outbreaks continued for a long time after.

Improvements in overall hygiene, sanitation, and dealing with the rats is what eventually got rid of the Black Death for good.

Although it is still around today, just very uncommon. Modern anti-biotics and sanitation is what prevents it from being a problem.

Another working theory is that the Black Death killed off so much of the European population that those that remained living were the ones that had a degree of immunity or were more naturally resistant.

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[deleted] t1_jae5ggd wrote

[deleted]

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ADDeviant-again t1_jae6wg7 wrote

Just by observation.

Even without germ theory per se, back as far as ancient China, Mesopotamia, and Egypt, people could tell that exposure to SOMETHING caused disease. Night air? The moon? Miasma? Insect bites?

Keeping the sick away from everybody else, and noting that people got sick around sick people doesn't require the direct knowledge that micro-organisms are responsible.

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DarkAlman t1_jaeaxz0 wrote

Trial and error

They discovered that people who kept clean didn't get as sick

The Pope famously hid in a circle of flame to keep him safe during the worst of the plague. The theory was to keep 'bad air' away, but in fact it was keeping him safe from the rats

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Viseprest t1_jaexnfv wrote

Rats were likely not the culprits, rather it was lice spreading from human to human.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-42690577

> "The conclusion was very clear," said Prof Stenseth. "The lice model fits best."

> "It would be unlikely to spread as fast as it did if it was transmitted by rats.

> "It would have to go through this extra loop of the rats, rather than being spread from person to person."

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fubo t1_jaf08wu wrote

Once a blood-borne infection is sufficiently common, it doesn't matter which little biting parasite is carrying it. It may have jumped from rat-flea-human to human-louse-human transmission.

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hanlonsaxe t1_jaewn6q wrote

Was the rats thing not recently called into question?

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