Rats+in+the+Middle+Ages+and+the+Bubonic+Plague

=1. Questions (I wonder...?) = -I wonder why the Rats didn't die within a couple of days when they had the Plague, but all of the humans did? -I wonder how the Rats lived all the way to other countries to deliver fleas? -I wonder why the Rats didn't have the same symptoms as the humans when they were infected? -I wonder how the Fleas didn't die and where the fleas got the plague to deliver it to humans? = = =2. Inferences (I think that...because.... =  -I think that the Rats didn't die, because they have a different immune system than us, and since they live in filth, they would live longer through the Plague. -I think that the Rats didn't live all the way to other countries, but died on a ship which caused more fleas to become infected with the plague. -I don't think they have the same symptoms, because they are more immune to diseases, and could fight the sickness longer.  -I think that the Fleas didn't die, because they had lived with the disease for a while, I'm not quite sure where the Fleas got the disease. But I think it's possible that the plague formed inside the fleas body which they then transfered to the rat. Which then was transfered to the humans. =3. Resources = [] [] [] [] 
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=4. Summary = While researching about a rats part in the history of the Bubonic plague, I have learned about how the rats spread the disease, some causes of the disease, some beliefs people thought, and the impact. First of all, I learned that the bacteria //Bacillus Yersinia Pestis// (the bacteria that caused the bubonic plague) lived within the blood stream of the black rat and the belly of adult rat fleas. The humans were only accidental victims, because the rat fleas were looking for warm-blooded mammals. And because there were no rats around, they jumped on ships and went to different countries spreading the disease. Also, rat fleas and humans rarely crossed paths. Next I learned that famines, floods, and earthquakes may have caused fleas and humans to cross paths. And also because of fleas needing a warm and dry place to stay, such as a house. Another is that enemies flung the dead bodies of the infected over the city walls. And the last, is the fleas regurgitated the plague virus into the blood stream of humans. Another thing I learned was that people didn't believe that rats and fleas were spreading the plague. One belief was that the planets aligned in a sinister way. Another was that a foul wind was created by earthquakes, which then swept into town contaminating people. And the last was that "looks can kill" said by a medieval physician, meaning that by looking into one anothers eyes you can contaminate them. Lastly, is the impact. In a space of two years 1 out of 3 people died. In Venice, 500 to 600 people died per day, and 60% died over a span of 18 months. In Montpellier, only 7 out of 140 Dominican Friars lived. Also, in Avignon, 1/3 of all the cardinals died and 50% of the city died. So all in all, just one bite by a tiny little flea carrying a virus, can spread way out of proportion. But many things happened that cause people to turn on each other. And just the tiniest thing, can cause hundreds of millions of people to die.

= = =5. References = Wark, Lori. "History of the Black Plague." Discovery Health. September 10, 2008. Accessed November 4, 2009. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">[|<http://health.dicovery.com/centers/coldsflu/germs/plaguehist.html] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">>. Knox, E.L. Skip. "The Middle Ages: The Black Death." Boise State. Boise State University. Accessed November 4, 2009. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">[|<http://www.boisestate.edu/courses/westciv/plague/] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif;">>.