Pandemics down the Centuries

Introduction

                                      Covid-19

So much has been said about what has and is being done to control this dreadful disease. Though it seems to me; we learned little or nothing from previous pandemics down the centuries, and if nothing else.

   Strikes me this one should provide a wake up call for all humanity to pull together in sorting out how this one came about. By creating measures to deal with the next one that comes at us. For surely as night follows day; another pandemic will at some point in the future happen again.

For almost two thousand years and possibly even before we learned how to record such matters of interest. Plagues and pandemics.have killed millions. But with regard to this instant TV analysis in respect of Coronavirus Type Covid 19.. Where reporters bleat we should have done this or that. I refer you to the tweet I used to introduce this piece about the historical record of Worldwide Pandemics. About being alert for the next one. For surely we hope it can be dealt with; quickly and efficiently in the light of this present experience. Though it depends entirely. on the rate at which the spread of such infections can be ascertained and controlled. Being alert to the ways in which they are transmitted and the measures needed to contain it.

See below: for the way previous pandemics have played out to get things in perspective. Though far reaching effects from of this one could be economic. A broken money system for one thing. With all this Funny Money; click of a mouse stuff, swilling around in treasuries across the globe. With no way; to equate it with anything, of value. Other than a Gold/Silver ratio of 15/1 but that was ended in the 1700s. 

Isaac Newton was Master of the Mint and was overruled by Parliament as the Gold/Silver Ratio was changed. It repatriated all Europe's gold the England, as the English traders and merchants used silver to buy it up their gold.  The rest is history; as we are learning today, while the economics of our present day monetary system have yet to be fully recognised by national banks and tackled head-on.    

Previous Plagues and Pandemics

Hiv/Aids pandemic (2005/12) Death Toll 36 million. Cause Hiv/Aids

Flu pandemic (1968) Death Toll  1million. Cause Influenza

Asian flu (1956/58 Death Toll 2 million. Cause Influenza 

Flu pandemic (1918) Death Toll: 20 -50 million Cause: Influenza

Sixth Cholera pandemic (1910/11) Death Toll: 800,000+ Cause: Cholera

Flu pandemic (1889/90) Death Toll: 1 million Cause: Influenza

Third Cholera pandemic (1852/60) Death Toll: 1 million Cause: Cholera

Black Death (1346/53)  Death Toll: 75 – 200 million  Cause: bubonic plague

Plague of Justinian (541/42) Death Toll: 25 million Cause: bubonic plague

Antonine plague (165 ad) Death Toll: 5 million Cause: unknown