PugJesusProfessional rat catchers after an outbreak of plague in Sydney, Australia
The BeavertonPolio, Bubonic Plague, Smallpox compete to see who can re-establish themselves in Canada next
Ivi ChocRE: https://mastodon.social/@paulbeckwith/115664767532851449
#FYI #PaulBeckwith video lecture and literature review
#volcano #VolcanicEruption #famine #agriculture #foodsecurity #trade #YersiniaPestis #pandemic
Beckwith, Paul Beckwith, on a detective mission to understand the origins of the #BubonicPlague
#climate #ClimateScience #climatechange #pandemics #ClimateDisruption #ExtremeWeather #polycrisis
Liam O'Mara IV, PhDOn #ThisDayInHistory in 1940, #Japan carried out a biological weapons attack on #Ningbo, #Zhejiang, China. The #Kaimingjie germ weapon attack involved agents of #Unit731 air-dropping grain filled with #BubonicPlague fleas on Kaiming Street. At least 100 died, likely much more.
Spirituality & Religious Studies14 Holy Helpers
In German: Vierzehn Nothelfer. In Latin: Quattuordecim auxiliatores.
These are a group of saints venerated together by Catholics because their intercession is believed to be particularly effective. Especially against various diseases.
This group of Nothelfer (“helpers in need”) started in the 14th century as the first in the Rhineland. Largely as a result of the epidemic (probably of bubonic plague) that became known as the Black Death.
Devotion to the 14 Holy Helpers began in Rhineland (now a part of Germany) in the time of the Black Death. Among the 14 were 3 virgin martyrs. There’s a German mnemonic device to remember the 3 virgins. Their names are: Margaret, Barbara, & Catherine. 13 of the 14 were accounted martyrs (Giles is the exception).
While each has a separate feast day, the 14 Holy Helpers, in some places, are celebrated as a group on August 8th. But the celebration never became part of the General Roman Calendar. When that calendar was revised in 1969, the individual celebrations of St. Barbara, St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Christopher, & St. Margaret of Antioch were dropped.
The individual celebrations of all 14 are included in the General Roman Calendar in 1954, the General Roman Calendar of Pope Pius XII & the General Roman Calendar of 1960.
The 14 saints are:
- Agathius/Acacius – Feast day: May 7. Patron against headaches.
- Barbara – Feast day: December 4. Patron against fever & sudden death, against lightning & fire, against sudden & violent death at work, & patron of builders, artillerymen, & miners.
- Blaise/Blase/Blasius – Feast day: February 3. Patron against illnesses of the throat & for protection of domestic animals.
- Catherine of Alexandria – Feast day: November 25. Patron against sudden death & diseases of the tongue, philosophers, theologians, maidens, female students, preachers, the dying, wheelwrights, mechanics, potters, & other artisans who work with wheels, invoked by students, orators, preachers, & lawyers for wise counsel & for eloquence.
- Christopher/Christophorus – Feast day: July 25. Patron against bubonic plague & dangers while traveling.
- Cyriacus – Feast day: August 8. Patron against temptation on the death-bed, diseases of the eye, & demonic possession.
- Denis/Dionysius – Feast day: October 9. Patron against headache & against demonic possession.
- Erasmus/Elmo – Feast day: June 2. Patron against intestinal ailments, for domestic animals, & sailors.
- Eustace/Eustachius/Eustathuis – Feast day: September 20. Patron against family discord, against fire (temporal & eternal), & the patron of hunters, trappers, & anyone facing trouble.
- George/Georgius – Feast day: April 23. Patron for the health of domestic animals, against herpetic diseases, & the patron of soldiers.
- Giles/Aegidius – Feast day: September 1. Patron against plague, mental illness, & nightmares, for a good confession, & patron of the disabled, beggars, blacksmiths, & breast-feeding moms.
- Margaret of Antioch – Feast day: July 17. Patron of women in childbirth, invoked against backache, & invoked for escape from devils.
- Pantaleon/Panteleimon – Feast day: July 27. Patron of physicians & midwives, invoked for the protection of domestic animals, & invoked against cancer & tuberculosis.
- Vitus/Guy – Feast day: June 15. Patron against epilepsy, lightening, the bites of animals (especially those who were venomous or rabid), storms, & for protection of domestic animals.
Half of the saints are seen as actual historic figures (Blaise, Cyriacus, Erasmus, George, Giles, Pantaleon, & Vitus). While the others may be only legends. While the feasts of several of the 14 Holy Helpers were taken off the General Roman Calendar. None were decanonized, or denied to exist & their feasts are still on certain calendars.
One or another in the original set are sometimes substituted with: Anthony the Anchorite, Leonard of Noblac, Nicolas, Sebastian, Oswald the King, Pope Sixtus II, Apollonia, Dorothea of Caesarea, Wolfgang of Regensburg, or Roch. In France, an “extra” helper is added: the Virgin Mary.
The 14 Holy Helpers are honored in Bavaria as the vierzehn Heiligen. This literally translates to “14 Holy Helpers.”
The Basilica of the Vierzehnheiligen is dedicated to these auxiliary saints. It was built between 1743 & 1772 (29 years).
Devotion to these saints begin in this region on September 24, 1445 when Hermann Leicht, a young shepherd of a nearby Franciscan monastery, saw a crying kid in a field belonging to the nearby Cistercian monastery of Langheim.
As he bent down to pick up the kid, it suddenly vanished. A short time later, the kid reappeared at the same spot. This time, 2 candles were burning next to it.
In June 1446, Leicht saw the kid a 3rd time. This time, the kid wore a red cross on its chest & was accompanied by 13 other kids. The kid said: “We are the 14 helpers & wish to erect a chapel here, where we can rest. If you will be our servant, we will be yours!”
Shortly after, Leicht saw 2 burning candles descending to this spot. It’s alleged that miraculous healings soon began, through the intervention of the 14 saints.
The Cistercian brothers to whom the land belonged erected a chapel, which immediately attracted pilgrims. An altar was consecrated as early as 1448. Pilgrimages to the Vierzehnheiligen continue to the present day between May & October.
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Democracy Matters 
Hey MAGA: do you realize that when Blue states come together to make vaccines available and Red states ban them, you’ll be dead and we won’t?
#Vaccines #COVID #Measles #WhoopingCough #Polio #Rubella #Mumps #Flu #BubonicPlague #USPol
#FYI #US #USA #plague #bubonicplague #science #medicine
Some context to recent news about a person catching the plague in the US.
Short summary: No, the plague is not having a comeback, yes, there are always some cases here and there, yes, it's treatable with antibiotics the sooner the better, yes it may mean two weeks in the ICU and yes, it's usually survivable. Don't panic :)
Follow 4 more explainers! #news #science #medicine #interesting #bubonicplague #satire #comedy #wtf
Gay CurmudgeonThe only Easter Pepys this Old Coot can stomach. Original Digital Art. #peep #peeps #easterpeeps #marshmallowpeeps #pepys #diary #diarist #history #england #Brittan #britishisles #historian #london #greatfire #greatfireoflondon #plague #blackplague #bubonicplague #londonplague
DoomsdaysCWA human #plague death was confirmed in northern #Arizona. What to know
by Stephanie Innes, Arizona Republic
July 11, 2025
"A human has died of pneumonic plague in northern Arizona, Coconino County health officials confirmed July 11.
"The case is not connected to a recent die-off of prairie dogs in the area, officials said.
"The death of the Coconino County resident marks the first recorded pneumonic plague death in the county since 2007, officials with Coconino County Health and Human Services said in a statement.
"The county's confirmation of the death came after Northern Arizona Healthcare issued a statement that one of its patients had a presumptive positive diagnosis of Yersinia pestis, which is the bacterium that causes plague.
"The person recently died in the Flagstaff Medical Center emergency department on the day the person sought treatment, the statement said.
"The Northern Arizona Healthcare statement says that 'despite appropriate initial management and attempts to provide life-saving resuscitation, the patient did not recover' and says that Northern Arizona Healthcare team is 'saddened by this loss of a community member.'
"Citing patient privacy, officials with Northern Arizona Healthcare and Coconino County said they would not be releasing additional information about the patient who died.
"The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says plague in humans is relatively rare, with about seven human cases reported annually across the country.
"Pneumonic plague is a severe lung infection, according to Coconino County health officials. A 2015 CDC report characterized it as the least common of the three main forms of plague. The other two main forms are bubonic and septicemic.
"The CDC says Yersinia pestis is transmitted by fleas, cycles naturally among wild rodents and that humans usually get the plague after being bitten by an infected rodent flea or by handling an infected animal. People may also become infected through exposure to sick pets, especially cats, the CDC says.
"County officials are investigating a recent sudden die-off of prairie dogs in the Townsend Winona area northeast of #Flagstaff that may be caused by plague, but county officials on July 11 said in their statement that the prairie dog case and the human plague death are 'not related.' "
#YersiniaPestis #AnimalHealth
#HumanHealth #Disease #TheBlackDeath #BubonicPlague
A human near #FlagstaffAZ just died from #ThePlague. But it's just a coincidence! (See next post)
#PrairieDogs are dying in northern #Arizona, and officials are concerned the cause could be the #plague.
by Catherine Reagor, Arizona Republic
July 9, 2025
"Coconino County Health and Human Services recently received a report of a prairie dog die-off on private land northeast of #Flagstaff.
"A statement from Coconino County said a sudden die-off of prairie dogs and rodents can be an indicator of plague, an infectious disease that can affect humans and animals.
"Trish Lees, communications manager for Coconino County, said the number of prairie dogs that have died was unknown."
"To prevent exposure to plague, Coconino County recommends:
- Avoid fleas and use veterinarian-approved flea treatments on pets.
- Keep them on a leash and out of areas known to be inhabited by wild rodents.
- Report prairie dog, rodent and rabbit die-offs to Coconino County at 928-679-8756 or 928-679-8760.
- Prevent rodent infestations by removing brush, rock piles, trash and lumber from around homes and outbuildings.
- Avoid contact with wild animals.
- Use an insect repellent and tuck pant cuffs into your socks to help prevent flea bites.
- Do not camp next to rodent holes and avoid sleeping directly on the ground.
- Be aware that cats are highly susceptible to plague.
- If your pet has a high fever, a loss of appetite, lethargy, a cough or eye drainage, contact a veterinarian immediately.
#YersiniaPestis #AnimalHealth #HumanHealth #Disease #TheBlackDeath #BubonicPlague
