If some clever guy had came up with the germ theory in the early

Actually, yes. The simple acts of washing with water and soap, burying poop away from wells and such, and cleaning surgical instruments would have a noticeable affect on population growth.

Yes, immensely. Doctors and surgeons would make sure to wash their hands with soap or some lye before operating on patients, the mortality rate from operation procedures would drop substantially.

>>2830777
>>2830786

Basically these. The black death probably wouldn't have been prevented, but greatly mitigated.

>>2831152
Black death interestingly still exists, even after all this time. Mostly in dogs though. If you get bitten by a dog with the disease it can be treated easily. Just shows how far we've advanced in 700 years, that we can live amongst a disease that was once capable of killing off half of europe.

>>2831181
Exactly, and the disease would come back every several decades in Europe (obviously never as badly).

>>2831181
You aren't mistaking mistaking plague for rabies, a disease which is very easy to treat if treatment is introduced just after the bite?

>>2832242
it's been a long time since i've read about it, but the plague still exists in small pockets iin the US, mostly in texas

File: USPlague70_12_611_pxWide.gif (34KB, 611x470px) Image search: [Google]

34KB, 611x470px

>>2832273
not really, in the USA plague is most common in the south west and it's most common vector is lice from prairie dogs. Never heard about plague being most common in dogs or spreading through dog bites, something which is true for rabies.

File: usa.jpg (268KB, 800x640px) Image search: [Google]

268KB, 800x640px

>>2832310
it's most common way of transmission is through lice from*

>>2829315
No, we already had a general understanding of some diseases, look up Ambroise Pare and Paracelsus for treating battlefield wounds. Yeah, we'd never seen germs under a microscope but people knew about infections and ways to prevent them. But nobody would've even bothered unless it's in an emergency or battlefield situation.

Think about it this way: How many people actually wash their hands before eating? After using the bathroom? After touching money or gas pumps?

fuck man its now normal to eat the booty