The Cause of the Black Death

            Although there was many thoughts on where the Black Death originally came from the most reliable source stated that it most likely arrived by ship in 1347. It is thought to believe that 12 Genoese trading ships coming into the port of Messina after traveling through the Black Sea carried this deadly plague. A majority of the sailors on board the twelve boats were dead, and the individuals who were still alive were gravely ill. The disease spread so rapidly as a result of the infected rats and ticks coming over from the other countries (History.com Staff 2). Once tainted, the patient had an exceptionally constrained time of life left, and that period would be repulsive most definitely. Another one of the beliefs was that it was caused by the bacterium Yersinia Pestis, a fatal bacteria that infects humans and animals (Scott 1). The Bubonic plague is a disease of rodents that lurks in isolated parts of central Asia and northern Africa (1). .
             One major underlying cause of the Bubonic Plague is the living conditions during the Middle Ages. The living conditions caused many diseases such as Anaemia, Rheumatism, Arthritis, Tuberculosis, and Dysentery (History.com Staff 4). These diseases were caused by the unsanitariness of the people during that time period. Their trash and waste went into the ditches, rivers and other waters polluting everything they could possibly pollute (Alchin1). People gathering at the docks prepared to welcome the sailors, yet what they saw on the boats was not what they were anticipating. Many childbearing women died during childbirth making their delivery very difficult. Influenza and sexually transmitted diseases were also very prevalent during this time period due to such tragic conditions. Poor diet was also a factor when it came to fighting off diseases, because they were lacking in an essential immune system to fight off the illness. The poor living conditions led to the ultimate downfall of this era.