Preparedness for when

maryb

meant to say - the climate changed for the worse early in the 14th century as a spell of warming came to an end. That meant several years in a row of failed harvests, so yes, the population of Europe which had expanded massively during the good years, was very malnourished and it didn't take much to cause a very high death rate

Si_Clist

GreyQueen wrote: »

In fairness, the logjams in the system are these creatures called 'district judges' - at least here in England.

Now now woman ... there's nothing wrong with a lot of district judges that couldn't be cured with a shotgun

Whatever you do, though, don't mention magistrates :cool:

Butterfly_Brain

Frugalsod wrote: »

I have no phobias. It means I am able to catch and release spiders wasps even a big hornet. If I see a snake I have sense of caution, though nothing more. I know that the snake will not want to bite me unless absolutely necessary. So I back away and allow it to move off. Unless I make myself a threat to the animal I am not likely to be attacked. Though remember more people are killed by cattle than by any predator in most places.

My DH was bitten by an adder when clearing undergrowth, he thought that he had just caught his hand on a thorn and ended up with blood poisoning:eek:

GreyQueen

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

I've just been reading a very interesting article that has concluded that the black death couldn't have been spread by fleas. The current thinking is that the bacillus must have been airborne and spread by coughs and sneezes for it to have infected such a large proportion of the population so very quickly. The consensus of evidence is also that most of the victims were in very poor health due to malnutrition/medical conditions/ physical problems and that was a contributory factor in succumbing to the disease. Makes the idea that we keep as fit and healthy as we can and get all the immunisation we can seem a very good idea doesn't it?

I've been reading books about the black death recently and it's now thought that there were three inter-related forms of plague concurrent in most parts of Europe back then, including Blighty; bubonic, pneumonic and septicaemic. The bubonic plague is spread by fleas bearing the yesinia pestis bacterium. It's been caught from rats, other wild rodents, squirrels, even cats and dogs (who are believed to catch it from wild rodents).

Some of the eyewitness accounts from the 14th century definately point to different forms being around in the same place at the same time.

The most dangerous, the one with the incredibly fast-moving infection and almost 100% mortality, was the one spread by aerosol infection (droplets) and it went for the lungs. Pneumonic plague. People died in a day or two and the eyewitness accounts said that just to look upon sufferers was death. Not knowing how it spread, and still being centuries away from the germ theory of the late 19th century, they only knew if you were close enough to look someone in the eye, you were close enough to catch it. Mortality for pneumonic plague is 95%.

Bubonic plague isn't lethal and the buboes (swellings) heal themselves. What kills you is the blood poisoning (septicaemia) which is the usual outcome of infection with bubonic plague. Or it develops into the pneumonic form and destroys your lungs.

The thing which scares me that even in the fourteenth century, plague went from central Asia to the farthest reaches of Europe and to Britain in just two years. When the fastest transport was a horse or a sailing ship/ galley. Think about how fast, far and frequently we travel now and imagine plague on the loose on a grand scale.

Enough to keep you awake at nights. I've just started to read an American novel set in Washington state during the 1918 influenza outbreak. Chilling stuff.

On a happier note, I have persuaded Muvva to accept a butane stove and cylinders as a preptastic present so that's one thing off my 'to-do list' to try to prep the wider family. Baby steps...........

[Deleted User]

GQ not enough to keep us awake at nights but, maybe enough to make us see the sense in prepping for a fairly long period, long enough to allow us to stay isolated indoors for the duration of a pandemic. Not a guarantee of safety but, enough food, water, medications, toiletries,household wares to last for a few months would mean not having to run the risk of contagion whilst a pandemic was raging. Less chance of infection if you don't have to mix on a day to day basis with your fellow humans, Lyn xxx.

thriftwizard

That's very interesting, GQ & MrsLW - I've long thought that it wouldn't be a single infection/disaster/problem that topples our civilisation, but a combination of unfortunate things. Something like: several different horrible bugs on the loose, hunger, unusually cold/wet/hot/dry conditions, too many people living too close together, a big eruption/ocean current disruption... and the scene is set.

Don't really want to explore this idea further - at least, not when I have to get ready for tomorrow morning's early start for the market!

Frugalsod

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

GQ not enough to keep us awake at nights but, maybe enough to make us see the sense in prepping for a fairly long period, long enough to allow us to stay isolated indoors for the duration of a pandemic. Not a guarantee of safety but, enough food, water, medications, toiletries,household wares to last for a few months would mean not having to run the risk of contagion whilst a pandemic was raging. Less chance of infection if you don't have to mix on a day to day basis with your fellow humans, Lyn xxx.

I think that most people would struggle because they would have to work, which could bring them into contact with people. While I could if necessary go for a couple of months as long as I could cope without milk etc though many would not. What about the many who rely on food banks to cope? They would have to go and collect it. Many on zero hour contracts if work dried up would need to get out to a food bank or to sign on.

[Deleted User]

THRIFTWIZARD none of us have a crystal ball so no one can predict or forsee the future and what will or will not happen, unfortunately what we're all blessed or cursed with is an imagination that can come up with ideas and fears that can dominate and flavour our reactions to percieved problems and possibilities. I don't think the world will go out with a bang I rather think it will be a soft and fairly prolonged sigh of resignation. I won't let it scare me, whatever IT is, I will view it with respect and caution and do my very best to outmanoeuvre it, to be prepared for any eventualities that I can imagine and any possibilities I can imagine and if that's not enough I'll be a reluctant part of the resigned sigh!!! I will take what precautions and make what preparations are within my ability but I won't ignore it in the hope that it won't happen, most of all I won't live my life in fear, I will LIVE my life and enjoy every second of it the best I can, anything less than that would mean I've lost before I've begun to fight, Lyn xxx.

FRUGALSOD I can only be responsible for myself and my family, I would hate it that others could not prepare as I do, but survival is in part about selfishness and resolution and I would have to put us first.

[Deleted User]

ragz wrote: »

What, a Walrus? Or was that totally unrelated to the last post? lol

Try looking at the title of my post.

GreyQueen

Wishing you 'happy sales' for tomorrow, thriftwizard.

Curious to know what grievances si clist had agin' the magistrates. Tell me; I'm nosy..........:rotfl:

Tomorrow, I shall continue to peck away at the gardening and keep a close eye on the incoming weeds. With these lengthening and warming days, nature is awakening beautifully, but that aslo means the weedy bits are up and at it, too.

I sincerely hope that my shed will be unmolested this time, it's getting a tad tedious keep calling the police and repairing the door.

Dunno what weather to expect as today could best be classified as murky, but unless it's raining heavily, I shall trundle on up to the 'burbs where my lottie lives and graft away.