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The Great Plague of London
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The Great Plague of London
Two men holding handkerchiefs over their noses in an attempt to avoid catching the plague as they hurry through the London Streets. In the background, men are collecting bodies from the streets in a cart before burying them all in one mass grave.
1665
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Media ID 23035266
© Mary Evans Picture Library/Tom Gillmor
1660s 1665 Bubonic Burial Catastrophe Dead Devastation Emergency Epidemic Handkerchief Handkerchiefs Health Illness Loading Mass Noses Pandemic Plague Poverty
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This evocative image captures the desperation and fear that gripped the streets of London during the Great Plague of 1665. Two men, clad in the fashion of the 1660s, hurry through the crowded streets, each holding a handkerchief over their noses in a futile attempt to ward off the infectious mists that hung heavy in the air. The plague, which was believed to be spread through the inhalation of contaminated particles, had brought the bustling city to a standstill, with many choosing to stay indoors or flee the area altogether. In the background, a grim scene unfolds as men in protective clothing load the lifeless bodies of plague victims into a cart. The dead were collected from the streets and transported to mass burial pits, where they were interred in a hasty and often careless manner. The devastating impact of the plague on the city was felt not only through the loss of life but also through the widespread poverty and illness that followed in its wake. The Great Plague of London was one of the most catastrophic events in the city's history, with an estimated 100,000 people succumbing to the disease. The emergency measures taken by the authorities, such as quarantines and the closure of public spaces, did little to stem the tide of infection. The plague, which was likely a strain of bubonic plague, was a stark reminder of the fragility of human health and the devastating consequences of a pandemic.
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