Join me and the dog as we look at the The bubonic plague, a devastating bacterial disease,mainly spread by infected fleas from small animals.[1] It may also result from exposure to the body fluids from a dead plague-infected animal.[6] Mammals such as rabbits, hares, and some cat species are susceptible to bubonic plague, and typically die upon contraction.[7] In the bubonic form of plague, the bacteria enter through the skin through a flea bite and travel via the lymphatic vessels to a lymph node, causing it to swell.[1] Diagnosis is made by finding the bacteria in the blood, sputum, or fluid from lymph nodes. during multiple outbreaks, notably in the 14th century and later in the 17th century. The plague's first documented visitation to Norwich occurred in 1349, during the infamous Black Death pandemic, which decimated Europe's population. Norwich, a bustling medieval city, suffered immensely as the disease spread rapidly through its crowded streets and cramped living quarters.

During the 14th-century outbreak, the bubonic plague wreaked havoc on Norwich, causing widespread panic and chaos. The city's population plummeted as people succumbed to the disease in alarming numbers. The Black Death's impact was not only demographic but also social and economic, leading to labor shortages, disruptions in trade, and a breakdown of social order. Gruesome accounts describe bodies piled up in the streets, overwhelmed burial grounds, and a pervasive sense of despair among the surviving populace.

Despite efforts to contain the disease, including quarantine measures and religious processions seeking divine intervention, the bubonic plague continued to afflict Norwich periodically over the centuries. In the 17th century, Norwich faced another significant outbreak, known as the Great Plague of 1665-1666, which mirrored the devastation seen across England during that time. The city's inhabitants endured similar horrors as their medieval predecessors, with mortality rates soaring and communities plunged into mourning.

The bubonic plague's impact on Norwich reverberated for generations, shaping the city's history, culture, and infrastructure. Mass graves, such as the infamous "Plague Pits," bear witness to the scale of the tragedy, serving as somber reminders of the lives lost to this relentless scourge. Additionally, the plague prompted advancements in medicine, sanitation, and public health as authorities sought ways to combat future outbreaks and mitigate the disease

As the plague of 1578 overwhelmed the city, Augustine Steward House found it could offer no resistance and, one by one the family living inside fell victim to it. Deciding that everyone inside the house was dead the bailiffs ordered it to be locked, bolted and boarded up from the outside. Some weeks later when they returned with the house was reopened to allow the bodies to be taken out. It was then the true horror of what had happened within the house
Dragging out first the bodies of the mother and father some unusual marks were noticed on their legs. Upon closer inspection these were discovered to be teeth marks and pieces of flesh appeared to have been bitten away from the limbs. The horror increased when it became clear that these marks were not the work of the rats that often fed from the limbs of plague victims but from something much larger. They were in fact human teeth marks!

Black Tower was traditionally the residence of the city constable before being used to house plague victims in the 17th century
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