There was a terrible epidemic of antiwitchcraft activity in central Europe, which included killing many women, especially old ones, and cats. I recall reading that Nostradamus encouraged using Vitamin C containing rose hips, which helped. There are 3 phases of the plague which have varying lethality. Bubonic from flea bites, characterized by swollen bloody lymph glands, the least lethal; pneumonic, spread airborne, highly lethal; and septicemic, blood poisoning, totally fatal. Defoes “Journal of the Plague Years” is very informative.
Regarding rats, the primary vector in Europe seems to have been the brown (or black?) rat which is an upper story dweller. The Norwegian rat is a basement/sewer rat. While it may have been the initial carrier from ships, apparently it was the other rats that lived more closely with people that did the most damage. Any information on Jewish practices with regard to rats and housecleaning?
Do not know, but cats are quite effective at eliminating rodent pests from upper stories of buildings. See barn cats and hay lofts. Unlike the Christians of the time, Jews didn’t have problems with keeping cats as pets or even as animate pest control.
:’) Never hire a rat to clean the house. ;’)
In Europe the Jews were widely blamed for the Black Death (well poisoning, spells, the usual bag of malarkey) and were driven out, murdered, and scrolls and temples were incinerated.