I like to watch odd things on the telly and last night I watched a programme about The Black Death. It seemed appropriate at the time.
We think Covid is bad – and it is but we had far worse things in the Good Old Days. As a child I experienced such things as measles, chicken pox, rubella and mumps along with the rest of my age group. But I’m not talking about my Good Old Days – I’m going way back to the Very Old Good Old Days when you had such things to look forward to as the Bloody Flux, Pestilence, Black Death and Buboes.
Imagine writing a note to your child’s teacher back in the 16th century.
Dear Sire,
I am most verily afraid that Samuel will not attend your school this day as he has the bloody flux.
…etc
These names conjure up such horrors that make the state of the country today look pretty good.
You can actually still catch any one of them if you’re very unlucky. Fortunately we now know how to cure them, and I have my Plague Mask, just in case.
SueJEaton 