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Sweating Out a Killer Disease
Between 1485 and 1551, a series of epidemics hit England. The disease was called the sweating sickness. Then it disappeared, never to return. Even today, doctors are uncertain of what microbe caused it.
“The Sweating Sickness Epidemic: Henry VIII’s Great Fear,” by Stephen Porter tells the story. It traces its march across England, shows its impact on English life, and follows modern scientific studies of what caused the disease and why it disappeared.
Less deadly than the Black Death, it was more feared because it appeared and killed suddenly. A man in good health at dinnertime, would suddenly start sweating, and be dead by morning. It terrified Henry VIII. He feared chaos would result if the English sweats cut him down before he had an heir old enough to take over.
It first appeared in 1485, shortly after Henry VII wrested the throne from Richard III. It might have been brought to England from the Continent by his army. (Some in England viewed it as God’s curse against the Tudor dynasty.) After that, it periodically reappeared. Major outbreaks occurred in 1498-1506, 1528-29, 1533, and finally in 1551. Prince Arthur died suddenly of disease in 1502. It probably was not due to the sweating sickness, but many believed, including the future Henry VIII believed it was.
The disease affected England many ways. It was an airborne disease. Evacuating a city to escape it spread the disease because humans, not rats and fleas, were the vector. Oddly, it was confined to England. It never spread to the Continent. Sick English travelers brought it to Europe several times, but it always died out without spreading.
Henry VIII isolated himself and his family when the disease was rampant, refusing to admit visitors from affected areas. It led to techniques now commonly used in public health. Quarantine of households with illness and public reporting of mortality and cause of death emerged in England due to the disease.
As mysteriously as it arrived, it disappeared. Even modern scholars do not know what caused it or why it disappeared. Twentieth-century researchers speculate it could be an enterovirus, arbovirus, or hantavirus – even anthrax. Its symptoms do not entirely fit any of these, and its cause remains speculation.
“The Sweating Sickness Epidemic” is a fascinating study of the effect of disease on society. It also shows the limits of medicine, today as much as in the 16th century.
Mark Lardas, an engineer, freelance writer, historian, and model-maker, lives in League City. His website is marklardas.com.
“The Sweating Sickness Epidemic: Henry VIII’s Great Fear,” by Stephen Porter, Pen and Sword History, 2023, 192 pages, $39.95 (Hardcover), $19.99 (ebook)
This review was written by Mark Lardas, who writes at Ricochet as Seawriter. Mark Lardas, an engineer, freelance writer, historian, and model-maker, lives in League City, TX. His website is marklardas.com.
Published in History
Just wondering why you didn’t post this to the Member Feed first, given the numbers of members who say they don’t look at the Main Feed often, or at all.
Because I cannot guarantee it makes the Main Feed otherwise. Publishers of books I review don’t necessarily have Ricochet accounts, and they get sent the link. That is also why I choose the page count option. So publishers see how many times the review has been seen.
The Sunday Book Review is a welcome addition to the Main Feed. I look for it every Sunday morning. It gives me a chance to find books that I might not find anywhere else. Best sellers command the most attention on Amazon, Barnes and Noble in their stores, as well as the New York Times. Seawriter finds books that slip through the cracks, but should find a place on my bookshelf.
Hm. Do you not have the option to post to the Member Feed first, and then after some time to allow Member Feed-watchers to see and maybe comment, then Revert To Draft or something and re-publish to the Main Feed with some comments already included? In particular, comments from those who might not see it if not for being in the Member Feed first?
But I suppose if you want to have it all said and done on Sunday, maybe that wouldn’t work. For my idea you’d probably need to first post it to the Member Feed on Friday or Saturday.
Sounds interesting Seawriter. Wolf Hall (only watched the tv show – refused to read the book for various reasons) included the disease killing Cromwell’s daughters. Look forward to learning more.