#Writephoto – Sign

Despite his skill at herb-potions and surgery for wounds obtained in battle or while working, Dr Thompson was at a complete loss. His daughter had none of the usual signs of  the black death. Her symptoms were more like pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing and bloody sputum. She also thrashed about in her rumpled bed, complaining of fever, headaches and weakness.

Knowing he could do nothing for her broke his heart. Her death would come within three to four days at most. He knew from experience that when the black death infected a persons lungs or blood the sufferer died without exception.

Patients who displayed outward signs of the disease had a greater chance of recovery than others. These were the people who contracted bubonic plague and, whilst most died within a week, some did claw their way back to health.

The first sign of the bubonic plague was a small lump, like that caused by an insect bite. The “boils, followed. These swelled and hardened into painful “buboes” in the groin, armpits and behind the ear. Other symptoms were a blackened tongue, vomiting, sweats, stinking breath, shortage of breath, dark blotches on the skin, headaches, loss of appetite, restlessness and foamy and smelly urine.

Horrible as these signs were, they were symbols of hope to sufferers and their families.

This post was written for Sue Vincent’s write photo challenge – Sign. You can join in here: https://scvincent.com/2019/03/14/thursday-photo-prompt-sign-writephoto/