DocumentA:UniversityofParisMedicalReport(Modified)

Thepassagebelow isanexcerptfrom“TheReportoftheParisMedicalFaculty,”issuedinOctober1348.Inthereport,medicalfacultyattheUniversityofParis describewhattheybelievedweretheoriginsofthebubonicplagueandprovide adviceonhow toavoidcontractingtheplague.

We,theMembersoftheCollegeofPhysiciansofParis,...intendtomakeknownthecausesofthispestilence(plague).

Wedeclareasfollows:ItisknownthatinIndia,andthe

Vicinity(area)oftheGreatSea,theconstellationswhichcombatedtheraysofthesun...exertedtheirpowerespeciallyagainstthesea

...andthewatersoftheoceanaroseintheformofvapor.Thewaterswereinsomepartssocorruptedthatthefishdied.Thisvaporspreaditselfthroughtheairinmanyplacesonearth...Onalltheislandsandadjoiningcountriestowhichthecorruptedsea-windextends…iftheinhabitantsofthosepartsdonottakethefollowingadviceweannouncetotheminevitabledeath—exceptifthegraceofChristpreservetheirlives.

Everyoneofyoushouldprotecthimselffromtheair;wormwood(afragrantplant)andchamomileshouldbeburntingreatquantityinthemarketplaces,inotherdenselyinhabitedlocalities,andinthehouses....Thedietshouldbesimple....Cold,moist,wateryfoodisingeneralharmful.Goingoutatnight,andevenuntilthreeo’clockinthemorning,isdangerousonaccountofthedew.Rainwatermustnotbeemployedincooking,andeveryoneshouldguardagainstexposuretowetweather...fastingisinjuriousandsoisanxietyofmind,anger,andimmoderatedrinkingandbathing.Menmustpreservechastity(abstinence)astheyvaluetheirlives.Everyoneshouldrememberthis,butespeciallythosewhoresideonthecoast,oruponanislandintowhichthenoxious(poisonous)windhaspenetrated.

Source:TheReportoftheParisMedicalFaculty,October,1348.

DocumentB:Ibnal-Wardi(Modified)

Thepassagebelow isanexcerptfromIbn al-Wardi’s“AnEssayontheReportofthePestilence.”Ibnal-WardiwasanArabwriter,philosopher,andhistorianwhowasaliveintheMiddleEastduringtheplague.Here,hedescribestheeffectsoftheplagueonthecityof AllepoinSyria.In1349, al-Wardidiedfrom theplague.

Theplaguefrightenedandkilled.Itbeganinthelandofdarkness. Oh,whatavisitor!Ithasbeencurrentforfifteenyears.Chinawasnotpreservedfromit.TheplagueinfectedtheIndiansinIndia.ItweighedupontheSind.ItseizedwithitshandandeffectedeventhePersians,…andgnawedawayattheCrimea…TheplaguedestroyedmankindinCairo…ItstilledallmovementinAlexandria.

Then,theplagueturnedtoUpperEgypt…TheplagueattackedGaza…TheplaguetrappedSidonanddescendedunexpectedlyuponBeirut.Next,itdirecteditsshootingarrowstoDamascus.Theretheplaguesatlikealiononathroneandswayedwithpower,killingdailyonethousandormoreanddestroyingthepopulation.

OhGod,itisactingbyYourcommand.Liftthisfromus.IthappenswhereYouwish;keeptheplaguefromus…

TheplaguecausedthepeopleofAleppothesamedisturbance.Oh,ifyoucouldseethenoblesofAleppostudyingtheirincomprehensiblebooksofmedicine.Theyfollowitsremediesbyeatingdriedandsourfoods.Thebuboeswhichdisturbmen’shealthylivesaresmearedwithArmenianclay.Eachmantreatedtheirhealthtomakelifemorecomfortable.Theyperfumedtheirhomeswithambergris(afragrantrock)andcamphor(fragrantwax),cyperus(aflower),andsandal.

Theyworerubyringsandputonions,vinegar,andsardinestogetherwiththedailymeal.

WeaskGod’sforgivenessforourbadsouls;theplagueissurelypartofHispunishment.Wetakerefuge(shelter)fromHiswrathinHispleasureandfromHischastisement(scolding)inHisrestoring.Somesaid:theair’scorruptionkills.Isaid:theloveofcorruptionkills.

Source:Ibnal-Wardi,AsEssayontheReportofthePestilence,1348.

SourcingandContextualization

DocA:ParisMedicalFacultyDocB:Ibnal-Wardi

1.Whowrotethisdocument?
2.Whenandwherewasthisdocumentwritten?
3.Whywasthisdocumentwritten?
4.Doyouthinkpeoplein1348trustedandbelievedtheseauthors?

CloseReadingandCorroborationQuestions

DocA:ParisMedicalFacultyDocB:Ibnal-Wardi

4.Wheredidtheplagueoriginate?
5.Whatorwhocausedtheplague?
7.DocA:
Howshouldpeopletrytopreventorcuretheplague?
7.DocB: Howdidpeopletrytopreventorcure
theplague?

FinalQuestions

1)Howdothesedocumentsillustratehowpeople understoodthe“BlackDeath”?

2)List2-3questionsyoustillhaveaboutthe“BlackDeath”orhowpeopleunderstoodit.

3)Whattypesofdocumentsmightyouexaminetotryandanswerthesequestions?