A Presentation - Plague

[Count Morcant]

In a dark room lit only by flickering wall sconces, Morcant waits with a ceramic crock. When he opens it, the strong smell of alcohol offends the nostrils.

To anyone who has gathered regarding Morcant's summons about the plague, he says, "Good evening." His face, sans mask, is hidden in the depths of his hood. "I am continuing to investigate the plague epidemic. It is afflicting the peasantry more than the nobility; however, as we all know the planting is soon to begin, and if the plague impairs the planting, then this winter, everyone will suffer."

"Some interesting things to note about these rats." He uses a pair of tongs, and dips them into the crock, before he pulls out the dripping carcass of an enormous rat. "There is nothing to fear. Strong alcohol kills the impurities that breed disease, and a distillate of this potency would be poisonous to a human were they to drink it."

He sets the rat down on a tray. "The first thing to note is that these rats are exceptionally large. The only rats I have ever seen this size under ordinary circumstances are ghouls--I have not yet determined if this is the case, but shall have results on that front soon."

"Second," He gestures, "If you examine this rat, you will notice it is afflicted with boils and distensions, much like humans suffering from the plague. Rats, being of mean and verminous nature, are, by some whim of God and nature, usually immune to the impurities they spread. So that begs the question..."

[Giric]

::Giric is in attendance, but he says nothing. Merely watching on.::

[Brother Dominic]

Dominic is paying careful attention and listening attentively to Morcant's presentation. He is taking thorough notes on Morcant's discussion. However, at the last sentence uttered, he speaks up, with a friendly tone of gentle correction:

"I believe you mean 'raises the question', Morcant. The expression 'Begs the question' comes from the latin, petitio principii, itself deriving from the greek τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, which denotes the fallacy of assuming or taking for granted that which is being disputed in the argument at hand."

[Count Morcant]

Morcant gestures with an open hand.

"As you say. Still... what force is spreading a plague so virulent it would sicken a rat?"

[Brother Dominic]

"I am not as studied on the health of rats as you seem to be, but I had always imagined that it was not that rats were heartier than humans, when it came to resisting disease, but rather, that they tended to be carriers of diseases which affected the kine and did not affect them. That could easily be compatible with rats being fairly susceptible to a host of diseases of their own; just not the ones that tend to spread amongst humans.

As Aristotle taught, some predications depend on the subject of which they are predicated: saltwater can be healthy for a fish, but not for a human. But not all predications are such: the sword can cut the human as well as the fish. So, while it is curious that this disease afflicts the rats as well as the kine, that is not evidence of increased virulence or strength of the illness, but it could simply be that it affects a greater variety of substantial forms than other diseases we have seen. Have you experimented to determine whether it is more easily transmitted among humans, among rats, or more easily from rats to humans than other illnesses? Can a rat transmit it to a cat or a cur? It would be quite interesting if the disease were limited in its application to humans and rats only."

[Count Morcant]

"Worthy of study. Perhaps if we put, say, a pig, cow, cat, dog, and sheep in proximity to a collection of live plague rats to see if they developed the illness?"

[Brother Dominic]

"Birds as well. If migratory birds can contract this plague, that would be of keen interest to those who seek to contain its spread."

[Count Morcant]

"It is the case, in my observation, that animals likely to spread disease tend to be resistant to the miasma and impurity they generate. Else the disease would kill them before they had the opportunity to spread it. That does not preclude affliction. These rats appear to suffer symptoms of the plague, but do not die from it."

"We should also bear in mind that if an animal does not appear to suffer from the disease, that does not preclude the beast being able to spread it."

[Count Morcant]

((This is what happens when you have to pause in the middle of a post... you repeat yourself. Etiquette to strike the last bit.))

[Domnal Boruma]

Domnal speaks up from the back of the room,

"Will it pose any more danger to kill the creatures where they are found than to allow them to live?"

[Count Morcant]

"Fire being the universal purgative, killing and burning infected rats shouldn't spread the disease. However, leaving living ones to run about..." He gestures, with one hand.

"Which brings to mind... do the plague rats transform uninfected vermin into their ilk when placed in close proximity? It's another experiment to perform. Knowledge is power."

[Brother Dominic]

Pray tell, Morcant, What experiments have you already performed?

[Count Morcant]

"You always have a way of asking questions that bring me up short and take me by surprise. I rather like it."

"This month I captured my specimens and performed vivisections to understand them inside and out. Now I'm beginning to observe their behavior. Unfortunately, other matters ate into my time. There is never enough time."

"But," He says, "Note the results of vivisection." He lifts a nearby tray, revealing another alcohol-preserved rat corpse, this one skillfully cut open, with its internal organs in neat array around it. All of them are damaged, covered with festering, pussy lesions.

"Aside from this, I have been attempting to determine the best treatments for the plague. I am not about to stuff a chicken in next to a man's head to draw off impurities... so the best I've come up with is ample clean water with a bit of fortifying vinegar to work up a purifying sweat, and willow-bark infusions to combat the inevitable fever."

"One thing I have noted--lancing the buboes and bleeding the patient is a poor idea. Invariably, it makes the plague worse."

[Brother Dominic]

Dominic smiles wryly.

"In a sense, I suppose, it makes the plague better."

[Giric]

:Giric will stand:

"If you don't mind an interjection. From my understanding the main population that was effected has died out, so those remaining are likely fewer in number, and more widely spread. With this in mind what do you propose is the most effective and sure method to stop the spread of the plague and minimize further deaths."

[Count Morcant]

"Simple to say, fiendishly difficult to execute. Contain or eliminate the plague-bearing rats."

[Brother Dominic]

Is it transmitted from afflicted humans to other humans?

[Giric]

"Would it work in reverse, if we simply kept all kine away from the afflicted areas?"

[Count Morcant]

"Given the natural properties of miasma, I would say yes. It is a certainty. If a man can catch it from a diseased rat, he can certainly catch it from a diseased man. However, humans already isolate the diseased, as much as quarantine and natural aversion can isolate people. Keeping humans away from rats, though...? I'm not sure that's possible. Even if you were to say, move all the humans into a camp outside of an afflicted town, the rats would just follow them."

[Brother Dominic]

"I have heard recent rumors of a man in Hamelin who might be able to assist with the rat problem, but I do not give them much credit."

[Count Morcant]

"Oh, THAT child-snatcher... I've crossed paths with him before. We don't want his help."

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