Tuesday, 3 November 2015
Similarities between Historical and Current Diseases
The article "Black Death Skeletons Reveal Pitiful life of 14th Century Londoners" (http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/mar/29/black-death-not-spread-rat-fleas-london-plague) tells of a genetic examination of victims of the 14th century Plague in London. It is believed to have killed 6 in every 10 people in the capital city, and was originally believed to be a bubonic plague, spread through fleas on rats. However, the examinations led the researchers to conclude the infection was actually a pneumonic one. The importance of history is particularly evident in this article in my opinion. Just recently, there has been an instance of such a disease in Madagascar. In that regard, history may teach us of the behavior not to adopt, of the required hygiene, and of the necessary precautions one must undertake. Using what happened to 14th century Londoner victims, one must learn what errors not to commit again.
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So this is all about how History prevents us making the same mistakes as those who lived before us? Of course, we cannot know what we cannot know....History shows us that we are trapped in the perceptions and mindset of our age. It reminds me of the passage in 'The Assault' where Mulisch describes how we move through time always looking behind, like a man walking backwards. The future is oblivion and even in the present we are blinkered.
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