Veterinary medicine in eurasia during the middle ages and renaissance

Abstract

The Middle Ages were characterized by major epidemics and epizootics unknown to the Ancient World. In Europe, humanity had not previously encountered such a situation with regard to contagious diseases, but the mass movement of large numbers of people from the East to the West (with numerous herds of horses and cattle) changed the situation. Other contributing factors were the growth of overcrowded, crowded and dirty cities and the crusades, which spread infection and were accompanied by epidemics. The epidemics and epizootics of the Middle Ages, as in antiquity, are described by the name "pestilence". Various mass diseases (anthrax, smallpox, rinderpest) as well as mixed infections were called pestilence (plague). These diseases caused enormous damage to livestock in Europe, literally devastating entire countries. Emerging epizootics often led to famine epidemics. For example, since the 6th century rinderpest has continuously ravaged Europe. In Greece and Italy the disease periodically appeared that "spared no creature: all the herds were affected, wild animals in the forests died, people in towns and villages". In the eighth century France, Germany and Italy were hit by a "generalized disease" affecting humans and animals at the same time.