London, Quarantine, and the Plague in the 17th Century

Demons and Dames

London, 1665. "Thus this month ends with great sadness upon the publick, through the greatness of the plague every where through the kingdom almost. Every day sadder and sadder news of its encrease. In the City died this week 7,496 and of them 6,102 of the plague. But it is feared that the true number of the dead, this week is near 10,000; partly from the poor that cannot be taken notice of, through the greatness of the number, and partly from the Quakers and others that will not have any bell ring for them." So wrote Samuel Peyps in his diary during The Great Plague. Join Ash and Sarah in this bonus episode in which they discuss how their quarantines are going and reflect on what history can teach us on hygiene, quarantine etiquette and what it was really like in London in the 17th century when facing yet another outburst of the Bubonic plague. Full notes and bibliography at www.demonsanddames.com