was there any connection between lowered snake populations and the incredibly fast spread of the Black Plague?

Answer 1

low snake populations were a contributing factor, but the real culprit was ignorance and superstition. people in the middle ages were illiterate and fearful. they believed as a whole that cats were evil creatures - the familiars of witches and such. as the plague progressed, the peasantry cast about for a culprit, and hit upon - u guessed it - cats. peasants believed that witches were responsible for the plague, and that where there were cats and snakes, there were witches, so they embarked upon a crusade to exterminate every snake and kitty on the continent. they did a good job of it, which was the kiss of death. unfortunately, rats were the actual carriers (infested with plague-bearing fleas)of the black plague, and the main thing that kept rat populations at bay were cats and snakes. killing all the cats and snakes caused an enormous spike in the rat population. the increased number of rats caused a food shortage for the rodents, which drove them into human-populated cities to search for food. this in turn caused them to contaminate the human food and water supplies - which people then consumed and became infected as a result. this became a chain-reaction epidemic due to the crowded and unsanitary conditions in human populations; hence the Black Plague. no wonder Goya said "the sleep of reason produces monsters".

the black plague is actually bubonic plague - not a flu virus.

Answer 2

Like most diseases, Bubonic plague was first found in South East Asia. From there it spread into China and India. Then it spread along the major trade routes of the Muslim Empire and along the silk road. It was estimated that this process took anywhere between 150 to 200 years according to some of the historians I've read.

Then it hit western Europe and killed almost half the population in less than forty years.

Sure, maybe the spread of the disease had something to do with less snakes being around to eat the vermin that carried the disease. I really doubt it was the primary cause however. I'd figure it have to due with how revolting and dirty a lifestyle the medieval Europeans led. Those people were disgusting. They didn't care about living with the vermin, or having baths, and keeping their food clean. Every other culture that had suffered the disease before made a point of doing all these things and they weathered the passage of the disease just fine.

It was their filthy habits. There is no other explanation to touch that.

Answer 3

When the rats which hosted the fleas which carried the Black Plague died, a major source of food for the snakes was eliminated. Snakes generally don't eat carrion, so their population drastically declined.

Answer 4

Snakes are good, spiders are good...rats and flies...that's what they eat (yuk). The plague was spread by fleas on rats. Rats were there 'cause of filthy cities, made by people that chased out the snakes 'cause snakes find people less than desirable.

Answer 5

Think it through....
The Black Plague was spread by fleas from rats. What eats rats and keeps the rat population down? Cats, dogs and ______.

Answer 6

Could be since the Plague was actually a mutated form of the flu virus.
It could have very well been an inter-species flu.

Be some interesting research for you.

Pathological diseases and communicable diseases also inter species diseases and disorders

Answer 7

Hey don't blame St. Patrick for this one! It was the change in climate that killed off the snakes, whom didn't kill off enough rats.

Answer 8

no