h the plague arrived in England. But it is certain that it arrived via the ports, carried on merchant and Naval ships. However, were the infected fleas carried by the rats in the grain or bales of cloth and cotton, or on the backs of the crew, passengers or returning soldiers? Furthermore, how did the disease spread from the ports to the town and country? Via wild rodents in the countryside, by the rats and fleas in transported freight, or by the fleas on their human hosts?Although the evidence is mixed and debatable, it is suggested they all played a role. There is evidence to support that plague was caught from baggage and bales of clothes and cloth, as in Eyam in Derbyshire in 1665. There is also existing evidence that human transmission is solely responsible. The spread of the plague across the country was far too rapid to be accounted for by wild rodents in the countryside, and it is human transport which explains its movement along the major trade routes, usually by ship(British port to port), or on main roads and navigable rivers. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to assume that rodent transmission played a part in local village to village contamination.Affects of the bubonic plagueThe bubonic plague struck England in 1665. Since, the occurrence of the plague was so unexpected only 14th century preventive measures could be taken. The homeless people were the first to feel the great effects of the plague. They did not have any money and so when the plague struck them they were basically in a hopeless situation. Even the top physicians were affected by the bubonic plague. Many doctors had to take care of the plague victims and because the plague was contagious, the doctors also caught it. The disease spread rapidly amongst family.To try to prevent the outbreak of the plague the people began to burn fires in the streets to keep the air clean. Fires were also struck in sickrooms to destroy the clothing of deceased victims. They were als...
