The London Plague of 1603, a Country in Turmoil

Time: 5:30pm

Location: Room 105 Bluemle Building (first floor of 233 South 10th Street)

The year 1603 was catastrophic for London. Already coping with the death of Queen Elizabeth I and preparing for the Coronation of James I, nobody noticed when a few people died of the bubonic plague. By the time the city administration realized there was a problem, it was too late.

Predetermined strategic measures to slow the spread of the disease were put in place and recipes for accepted medical treatments were disseminated throughout London and the surrounding countryside. However, strategic measures only work if people follow them. In addition, this took place 250 years before a provable germ theory and 300 years before the discovery of penicillin.

Come learn about the city of London’s response to the onslaught of the plague, including popular remedies and medical theories of the time. You’ll never look at chickens and sheep the same way again.