Maybe Rats Aren't to Blame for the Black Death

Nationak Geographic ^ | JANUARY 15, 2018 | Michael Greshko

[Phillyred]

Same. The rats were just the carriers of the fleas.

[Secret Agent Man]

cue the aliens guy

[Falconspeed]

“I have first hand knowledge.” Whoa. Dang. Bubonic plague is still around.

[CottonBall]

I think I’m too obsessed with politics. I was wondering what the Democrats had to do with the plague…

[RJS1950]

What a crock study of the obvious.

Fleas are long known as a primary vector for Yersinia Pestis and rats were one of the primary vectors for the fleas.

The connections have been obvious and known for many years.

[shibumi]

"You know, there's a lot of misunderstanding about rats.
The rodendus vermikitis as they're called in Latin.
It turns out our long tailed friend wasn't after all responsible
for the dreaded bubonic plague as alleged through history.
Yes, sir. It was caused by an animal called the bubon.
That's right, and the threat by the way is still with us.
So if anyone does see a bubon, contact your local authorities."

[texas booster]

My favorite plague book is still Connie Willis’ Doomsday Book.

Even with time travel they can't stop the plague.

IIRC the London cemetery find was added to the storyline for the book.

[Monkey Face]

I was always taught that it wasn’t the rats, but the fleas and the mites that spread the plague. Now I’m reading that what I was taught was true.

How can that be?

[trebb]

Beat me (and probably a bunch of others) to it - good one.

[JoeProBono]

[SunkenCiv]

This new work is highly speculative, relying on fleas hoppin’ from human to human, but without any more evidence than that for rats. :^)

[shibumi]

The band having their portrait?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l2FEHr_Yzg

[null and void]

Everything old is new again?

[N. Theknow]

I blame the ‘Rats for imposing a substandard health care system on Medieval Europe.

Eau-bamaCare?

[Monkey Face]

Rats might hop from human to human, but the rats are only the transportation for the fleas, lice and mites.

Kinda like: Okay, everyone. End of the line. You gotta get off here because it’s time to shut it down.

Yah. Got it. ;o]

[null and void]

Yup. We’ve punched your ticket, go punch their ticket!

[Monkey Face]

I got it. With their dying spasms, they transmitted the disease to their hosts who had nothing better to do than lie around, getting hot and sweaty...

[BroJoeK]

BuffaloJack: "They eventually figured out that the plague vaccine was defective and virulent.
So, on matters of bubonic plague, I have first hand knowledge."

Here's part of the story:

"Plague vaccine is a vaccine used against Yersinia pestis.[1]
Killed bacteria have been used since 1890 but are less effective against pneumonic plague so that recently live vaccines of an attenuated type have been developed for this situation."

Sounds like some of that, ah, "attenuation" wasn't really.

[BroJoeK]

tinyowl: "Rats are to blame for a lot of black deaths."

Quote of the day, or at least this thread. ;-)

[JoeProBono]