BUBONIC PLAGUE 91 



and of the West; indeed, in the time of Justinian it 

 extended far beyond the limits of the Roman Em- 

 pire. The origin of this extensive epidemic which 

 raged for more than half a century appears to have 

 been in Lower Egypt in the year 542 ; thence it ex- 

 tended in one direction along the north coast of 

 Africa, and in the other into Palestine and Syria. 

 The following year it invaded Europe, which at the 

 time was in a state of political disturbance and war- 

 fare, and during this and subsequent years it de- 

 vastated many sections of the country, depopulating 

 towns and leaving the country in some instances 

 nothing more than a desert inhabited by wild beasts. 

 The accounts given of this widespread epidemic in- 

 dicate that other infectious maladies, which at the time 

 had not been clearly recognised as specific diseases, 

 were associated with the plague and contributed to 

 the general mortality. 



During the middle ages epidemics continued to 

 occur, but the accounts of the nature of the prevail- 

 ing " pest " are usually confused and unsatisfactory, 

 and it was not until nearly the middle of the four- 

 teenth century that the horrible epidemic known as 

 the black death devastated Europe and caused the 

 death of more than 25,000,000 of its inhabitants. 

 There has been considerable difference of opinion 

 among the best authorities as to whether the black 



