Hi there Diane, According to a (I think very well researched) historical novel I've just read ('London' by Edward Rutherfurd), rats carried the plague in their blood stream, and I think I understand from the book that they died from it. Fleas feeding on infected rats' blood received the infection and passed it on to their next 'host'. The book doesn't say how the rats got the infection but it does give more details on what happened to the flea, which might be perhaps a little too graphic to quote here. Judith 10915 -----Original Message----- From: sfhg-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:sfhg-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of Dkn72a@aol.com Sent: 28 February 2008 19:47 To: brad@fineby.me.uk; sfhg@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [SFHG] Plague But what was the infection that was in the bite of the fleas ? We still have fleas nowadays. Diane 10813. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SFHG-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.1/1303 - Release Date: 28.Feb.2008 12:14 No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.2/1304 - Release Date: 29.Feb.2008 08:18

There is also by Hoke, Helen L Fleas: their intricate lives and plague-y history, illustrated with photographs and line drawings by James Robins, published London: F Watts, 1973. Details courtesy of British Library Integrated Catalogue. Judy Excell SFHG 26 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Judith Brooke" <judith.brooke@btinternet.com> To: <Dkn72a@aol.com>; <brad@fineby.me.uk>; <sfhg@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 2:14 PM Subject: Re: [SFHG] Plague > Hi there Diane, > According to a (I think very well researched) historical novel I've just > read ('London' by Edward Rutherfurd), rats carried the plague in their > blood > stream, and I think I understand from the book that they died from it. > Fleas feeding on infected rats' blood received the infection and passed it > on to their next 'host'. The book doesn't say how the rats got the > infection but it does give more details on what happened to the flea, > which > might be perhaps a little too graphic to quote here. > > Judith 10915 >