Throughout history, the word plague has invariably been used to describe any infectious disease, but today it refers specifically to the bacterial infection of the strain Yersinia pestis: commonly known as bubonic plague. As human populations in the Middle Ages expanded but medical knowledge failed to progress from the times of the Ancient Greeks, great sweeping outbreaks of infectious disease were allowed to flourish unchecked. There were three major plague pandemics in human history, and with vaccines and effective preventative measures centuries away, regions struggling with a plague outbreak had few options other than to wait it out and pick up the pieces after. Until the advent of germ theory in the nineteenth century, the only hope for ravaged communities was a plague doctor: an “expert” brought in to control the rising death toll as best as possible, though their effectiveness was often questioned. After three hundred years, the plague had become a feared but accepted part of life, and the role of a plague doctor had become one of growing importance and prominence. As a local outbreak emerged and cases began to rise, a town’s mayor or governor would contact the best plague doctor they could afford, and get them to come to their assistance as quickly as possible. #plaguedoctor #history #weirdhistory #theblackdeath #bubonicplague #historychannel DISCLAIMER: All materials in these videos are used for entertainment purposes and fall within the guidelines of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. If you are, or represent, the copyright owner of materials used in this video, and have an issue with the use of said material, please send an email to adayinhistory2021@gmail.com Scriptwriter: Richard Video Editor & Motion Graphics: Jason Bohol Voice-over Artist: Chris Redish Music: Motionarray.com Copyright © 2021 A Day In History. All rights reserved.