CUP Undergraduate Research
Title
The Plaque and Public Health
Date of Award
Spring 4-1-2015
Document Type
Restricted Access Thesis
College
College of Theology, Arts, & Sciences
Department
Humanities
Degree Name
History, BA
First Advisor
Dr. Joel Davis
Abstract
By examining the implications the Black Death had on the population of 14th century Europe, drastic reforms to public health were deemed a necessity. These changes in public health would be expensive undertakings that needed a robust central government to organize and see that they were carried out. Many of these healthcare changes including: Bills of Health, Hospitals, Quarantine, Health Boards, and Public Sanitation were born of the Black Death and are still utilized in our current healthcare systems. Without the involvement of the government, society would have surely seen a collapse as Europe was already facing a decimation of its population due to plague. With these new ideas of public health, cities became more concerned about improving the sanitary conditions and reducing the mortality rate.