The Bubonic Plague: A Snapshot of Recovery; A Comparison of Tuscany An

On October 21st 1629, near the border of Switzerland, the Florentine Observer in Milan wrote to Florence reporting that a captain of Lecco arrived in great haste to inform â€Å"virulent plague had been ascertained†. In the absence of knowledge concerning the plague, or any way to prevent it, they placed all affairs pertaining to public health in the hands of guards who would naturally be the first line of defense. However, after laborious trial and error, Florence and Tuscany experienced deaths of enormous proportion. In the 17th century the Italian economy entered a long recession. Trade and industry declined, Italian agriculture stagnated, and poverty and banditry increased. Meanwhile Italy was struck by plague. One of the most advanced parts of Italy had fallen from grace. Interestingly, this situation is rather similar to the American recession in 2008. In both, governmental leaders in aftermath-implemented solutions, which helped improve their citizen’s quali ty of life, while enhancing the relationship between an individual and the appropriation of goods. The Emblem Of Public Health—An Unraveled Fabric Along with sudden outbreak, it was widely agreed that the incidence of plague was much greater among the lower classes than that of the upper. Concomitant with any overcrowded or unsanitary conditions, this is logical for despite nobilities â€Å"more delicate and tender† characteristics, they were free to flee and able to afford remedies unable to the common man. With little known about vaccinations, the establishment of a sanitary â€Å"cordons† was the first â€Å"preventative measure people could resort to besides prayers and processions†. In spite of the limited remains of a once fruitful population, the government tried to r... ...Giulia. Histories of a plague year: the social and the imaginary in baroque Florence. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989. Print. Cipolla, Carlo M.. Before the Industrial Revolution: European society and economy, 1000-1700. New York: Norton, 1976. Print. Cipolla, Carlo M.. Cristofano and the plague; a study in the history of public health in the age of Galileo. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1973. Print. Fletcher, Robert. A tragedy of the great plague of Milan in 1630. Italy: The Lord Baltimore Press, 1898. Print. Kleiner, Fred S., and Helen Gardner. Gardner's art through the ages: a global history. 13th ed. Boston, MA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2009. Print. Labarge, Margaret Wade. A baronial household of the thirteenth century. Brighton: Harvester, 1980. Print. Pollitzer, R.. Plague. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1954. Print.