The Great Plague of London: A Comedy of Errors (with Dead People)
Ah, the Great Plague of London. A time of merriment, frolicking... well, not exactly. But hey, if you can't laugh in the face of bubonic death, what can you do?
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| How Many Men Were Put In Charge Of Policing The Plague In London |
So, Who Was in Charge of This Whole Mess?
This is where things get interesting. London in the 1600s wasn't exactly a paragon of bureaucratic efficiency. It was more like a Monty Python sketch come to life, only with less cheese (and probably more rats).
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There wasn't one single "plague police chief." The responsibility for dealing with the crisis fell on a jumbled bunch of folks, including:
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- The Lord Mayor: Basically the top dog in London. But let's be honest, the poor guy probably had enough on his plate dodging diseased fleas to micromanage plague patrol routes.
- Aldermen: Think of them as local council members. Though deciding on the best pub for a post-plague pint probably wasn't high on their official duties.
- Churchwardens: These guys were supposed to keep an eye on their parishioners' spiritual well-being. Though with the plague knocking on everyone's door, keeping track of the living was a full-time job in itself.
So, the answer to our original question? No one knows for sure! It was a bit of a "whoever wasn't too sick yet" situation.
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High-Tech Plague-Fighting (or Not)
Now, imagine trying to police a city ravaged by disease with 17th-century resources. We're talking about a time when leeches were cutting-edge medical treatment. Their methods for dealing with the plague were...well, let's just say they wouldn't win any awards for effectiveness.
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- Burning bonfires: Because surely a good bonfire can chase away those pesky plague germs, right? (Wrong.)
- Quarantining houses: They got this one partially right. Isolating the sick can help prevent the spread of disease. But with people crammed together in London's narrow streets, social distancing wasn't exactly an option.
- "Pestilence-eating" dogs: Apparently, some folks thought dogs could sniff out the plague. Let's hope they at least kept those pups well-fed with actual dog food.
The point is, it was a chaotic situation. They were flying blind, trying everything they could think of to stop the plague from wiping out the entire city.
FAQ: How to Survive a Plague (the 17th-Century Way)
While we wouldn't recommend these methods, here's a glimpse into how some Londoners "dealt" with the Great Plague:
- How to avoid the plague: Stay away from sick people (good advice!) and carry a bunch of smelly herbs (probably not so helpful).
- How to treat the plague: Leech therapy and purging (yikes!).
- How to disinfect your house: Fumigate with strong-smelling substances (might cover up the stench of death, but won't kill the plague).
- How to appease the heavens: Lots of prayer and public displays of piety (hey, can't hurt, right?)
- How to forget about the whole thing: Drink heavily at the pub (probably the most effective method in the short term).
Remember, this is all for entertainment purposes only. Don't try these plague-fighting methods at home! If you're ever faced with a real-life pandemic, listen to the advice of medical professionals, not 17th-century Londoners.
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