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Mark Schweickart

Jim – wow, I have to ask, do you actually know all of this stuff off the top of your head, as you make it sound, or do you go into a deep dive of research before coming up for air and letting loose with all of this information? Either way, it is amazing that you have this ability. 

As for taking your quiz, I assume we are not supposed to go goo- goo-googling in search of the answers, so here are my uninformed guesses:

Question 1: I seem to remember reading somewhere that fleas carried by rats were the culprit, so I will go with B: Fleas,

Question 2: I don't know why, but  always imagined plague victims to be deformed by weird swelling, so I will go with D. Enlarged lymph nodes in the axilla and inguinal region, although I have no idea what these regions are.

Question 3: If the plague wiped out 25% of Europe's population as you mentioned, then I would have to assume that it was more than just rat-fleas doing all of the heavy lifting in transmitting this nightmare, so my first thought would be that it would be D.  All of the above. However, you also say, "Every now and then a case of the Bubonic form is diagnosed and treated in Colorado or neighboring states before it reaches the Septicemic or Pneumonic stage." This makes it sound as if Septicemic and Pneumonic are just stages of Bubonic and therefore should not be listed as separate choices of something transmittable in themselves, so maybe my first impulse to think that fleas could not have done this all on their own was incorrect, so I will go with E.  None of the above, final answer.

Michael McLeod

Jim you are always a ray of sunshine and we so appreciate  your cheerful inquiry into the plague. 

Meanwhile, in other uplifitng news,  I am told that captive pigs are becoming uninterested in sex. We have been raising them via artificial insemination for so many generations the art of doing it piggie style has ebbed away. What is life without flirtation and romance? Pigs, apparently, are finding that out.

I apologize to the delicate Christian ladies who are surely out there fanning themselves and demurely blushing even as we speak.

Speaking of pigging out: yes Dave White Castles are on my agenda for the day.

Clare: call me 407 222 6543

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

Interrupting Jim's quiz with some good news......Toni has been released from the hospital to return to Capri Gardens Rehabilitation and Nursing Center 6975 Graphic Way Lewis Center, Ohio 43235. 

John Jackson

Elijah Cummings, a son of sharecroppers, was buried today. Maybe this is just me, but I thought of him as the conscience of Congress and a great moral force for our nation.  Noted for his bipartisanship, he and his Congressional district (Baltimore) were attacked and ridiculed by Trump, but I think it’s telling that even Mark Meadows, head of the Freedom Caucus, choked up while eulogizing him yesterday in the Capitol rotunda.

He was eulogized again by the high and mighty in Baltimore this morning, but, as an antidote to all that’s happening in our country today (would a round of bubonic plague be preferable to our current national sickness?), you should read this tribute from those who worked for him: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/10/25/elijah-cummings-inspirational-legacy-passion-purpose-vision-column/4082900002/

James Hamilton, M. D.

Mark,

I really like zebras! Medical zebras, that is. There is an old saying among doctors "If you hear hoofsteps behind you, consider them to be horses, not zebras". That is to say that one should consider more common diseases when a patient presents with certain symptoms, than the more rare illnesses.

Health care personnel are barraged with lectures on the common and that is fine. But, now and then it is fun to talk about the uncommon. So, when I gave presentations at our hospital and other places, I chose to discuss interesting and less seen maladies such as envenomations from snakes, scorpions, spiders, Gila Monsters and intoxications and infections from eating certain fish and shellfish. Oh, yes, I occasionally resorted to more mundane topics also.

Although I am no longer in active practice, I keep up on all kinds of Internal Medicine problems and treatments from the medical literature and physician oriented web sites to which I subcribe. The news outlets often cover, or mis-cover, (not you Mike McL!)  medical issues but they usually prompt me to look into things a bit more.

Infectious outbreaks fascinate me and relate to things I have studied as an undergraduate in microbiology as well as seen, treated and studied in my medical career. Just like all of us, as we age we gain some insight into things we have seen in our lifetimes and can relate them to what is happening today. This also goes for historical events that happend long before we were born but of which we were made aware along our educational tracts.

By the way, in medical school, many of our written tests were "take home and open book" (but not our licensing or specialty board exams). This took into account that they wanted us to look not only at text books, but also the recent literature for the answers. As we used to say "the questions each year are the same, but the answers often change".

So if anyone wants to search the internet for answers to my "quizzes", feel free to do so!

John,

Having seen the devistation in individuals and families so often over so many years that has resulted from a myriad of diseases, infectious and otherwise, I really don't think that "a round of bubonic plague would be preferable to our current national sickness".

Jim

Mary Clare Hummer (Bauer)

Thanks, John. Wouldn't it be great if all bosses could inspire people to be the best version of themselves?  Rep. Cummings's staff certainly felt it was an honor to work for him. 

Dave:  Nothing materialized for our India-Oak lunch today so you didn't miss the fun. However, we're going to try breakfast on Sunday at 8:30 at the Wildflower Cafe next to the India Oak!!  (We don't want to stray far!!) If anyone is out and about and wants to share stories, coffee, a bite to eat, stop in. Mike said he'd be wearing a gray OSU hoodie!! See you then. 
Clare

John Jackson

Thanks, Jim.  It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I’ll defer to your expertise and forswear any naïve hope in the therapeutic effects of bubonic plague.

Michael McLeod

OK John being chastized by Jim for mixing two subjects - horrific infectious diseases and fatalistic political commentary - reminds me of a character who did something similar in this famous quote from one of Shakespeare's plays:

"A plague on both your houses." 

The speaker is not referring to democrats and republicans. Yet the bitter point he is making, which sums up the moral of the story,  is both profound and absolutely applicable to the contentious temper of our times.

For a sack of White Castles and a diet Coke to wash them down, as if they needed it, who can tell me without consulting the google: what is the play, who is the speaker, and what tragic event has him so pissed off?

David Mitchell

Mike,

I ljust love the researcher in you. My fascination meter just jumped off the chart when I read your "disinterested pigs" item. Don' ever stop digging for relevant truth, man.   

As that great romantic sage once sang,,,,,,,,,

(she also starred in the lost version of Lion King)

John Jackson

Mike, regarding "a plague on both your houses"  that sounds like a reference to "...trouble in River City" .  Was the play "Music Man"?

David Mitchell

how about Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof?

Lawrence Foster

Mike,  

Finally a trivia question I think I know!   

The speaker is Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet. He just got stabbed by Juliet's brother Tybalt and he dies. He is Romeo's good buddy so Romeo fights and kills Tybalt. 

Mary Clare Hummer (Bauer)

Shakespeare?  Gotta' be Romeo and Juliet. Don't think either of them said it. They were too busy on the balcony. I think somebody else died before them. Mecurio?  Tragic event. Maybe that Friar guy said it. I think it was way back as freshmen in 1962-63 that we had to read that. Do kids still have to read Shakespeare in high school?  
Clare

Joseph D. McCarthy

Before the lights (electricity) is turned off in Sonoma County I better try and finish my travelogue.

Wanting to get started departing Cheyenne, WY early (approximately 7:00 A.M. local time) I waited for my Co-Pilot (read wife) to finish breakfast.  So at 7:53 A.M. we started West on I-80 heading , eventually, to Nevada.  Recently we have tried to drive beyond Cheyenne to Laramie because of the possibility they will close the interstate because of snow in the about sixty mile stretch.  We were in luck; the only snow we witnessed was on the tops of the mountains.  However, the scenery really starts to change as you leave Cheyenne.  We drove alongside some beautiful mountain sides.  The colors of the rock were gorgeous, and also just feet from the side of the interstate.  We continued through Wyoming where I saw many interesting sites; the Co-pilot, not a Navigator, was watch Facebook listings of pictures sent by friends.  There is one amazing factor about this portion of the drive.  We crossed the Continental Divide about six times.  Eventually we crossed into Utah.  Within an hour or so we were at Park City, Utah, former HOME of a Winter olympics.  After the Olympics one could purchase a condo for a tenth of what they were selling for before the Olympics; prices have gone back up.  From Park City it is about twenty miles down hill on a twisting interstate that is eight lanes (four West and four East).  Otherwise it is still some beautiful scenery.  Then Salt Lake City which I find very easy to drive through; in fact I find it easy to drive around in Salt Lake City.  We continued West on I-80 past the Great Salt Lake and the operations of at least three companies mining the salt for sale (think Morton's, etc.).  It is about two hours before you reached the Bonneville Salt Flats, but you can see the salt fields for the last hour.  We drove through this area at approximately 4:45 P.M. and the temperature had already droppped to 99 degrees.  Just past the Bonnevile Salt Flats you leave Utah and enter Nevada.  I might have mentioned it before, but, at the state line are two towns.  East Wendover (Utah) and across the main road the separates them is Wendover (Nevada).  We have often stopped for the buffet at the Red Lion Hotel/Casino; its not too bad.  Leaving the Wendovers, we continued West to Elko, NV, arriving at approximately 5:45 P.M. (Local time - having passed through the one last time zone) and having completed 667.6 milesfor the day.    The forebodding was still there with me.

Michael McLeod

Well John this just isn't your day. First the doctor has to take you down a notch and now you're not only flunking English lit but I don't like your attitude and I've got my eye on you as a behavioral issue. Congrats to Larry and Clare for being ideal students although they will have to split the White Castles. 

David Mitchell

Joe,

You should be filming these trips so you can get a show on the "Travel Network" - or is it the "Food Network".

(Should one of us call Rick Steves and put him on notice?)

-----------

Oh, and Clare,

Just curious - Is "busy on the balcony" anything like the "casting ponds"?  

James Hamilton, M. D.

Hey, Mike,

As I recall, Shakespeare was big on "curses" and wasn't one of them also "a pox be upon you" or something like that.

Gives me an idea for another quiz on pox diseases... 😁

Jim 

Michael McLeod

Yes Jim In some of the old folios pox is used in that quote rather than plague. They were synonymous 

Joseph D. McCarthy

In response to Dave.  Phleet!!!!   I ain't no journalist; in case you couldn't figure that out by yourself maybe Mike can provide help.

One of the things I overlooked on yesterdays adventure story was that I-80 is a better route if one just wants to get from one Eastern/Midwestern location to the Bay area of California.  Taking I-70 only as far as Indianapolis and turning West/North on I-74 to the quad cities to connect with I-80 is the fastest way to I-80.  The only major cities you have to drive through, or around, are Indianapolis, Des Moines, Omaha, Salt Lake City, Reno, and the worst, Sacramento, CA.  The scenery is generally very beautiful.

The Alternative is taking I-70 West to the Utah border and shifting to Highway 50.  Unitl you reach Denver most of the land (plains) are flat and un-interesting.  However, once you hit Denver and start the drive West there are some fabuolus sites and views.  But it is a longer drive with few cities for miles and miles (think no gas).

James Hamilton, M. D.

Plague Quiz Answers

1.  B.  Fleas

2.  D.  Enlarged Lymph Nodes

3.  C. Pneumonic

​​​​​​Mark, 

2 out of 3 ain't bad!

Final plague thought: a nursery rhyme

Ring around the rosie, 

​​​​​​Pocket full of posies. 

​​​Ashes! Ashes!

​​​​​We all fall down. 

Jim 

Michael McLeod

that's like the most morbid nursery rhyme in history. All the images reference the plague = the circular lesions it caused, the flowers people used to mask the smell of decaying bodies, we all fall down speaks for itself, and I am guessing on this one - burning infested buildings

HOWEVER; After writing this from memory I just checked on this (starting with snopes) and apparently more recently folklorists have called this interpretation into question  - that people just like to come up with unfounded theories. Hmmm perhaps there is a lesson here. Perhaps the tendency isn't restricted to nursery rhymes.

Joseph D. McCarthy

I break in on this down day at the forum with Earth UN-Shaking news.

This is the Second time the Electric Utility (PG&E) has turned off power to people throughout parts of the San Francisco Bay Area.  An area from South of San Jose (approximately 60 miles South of San Francisco) to North of Healdsburg (approximately 75 - 80 miles North of San Francisco).  

In the First there was barely hours notice till they turned off the power.  In this latest they provided about a day; however, you had to keep checking their website to see if you would be affected.  As of the present we are NOT affected, and have full power.

What happends when the power is shut-off in your area.  Oh of course no lights, no heat or air conditioning, and possibly no water (especially to flush toilets).  But don't forget- no computer, no TV, no REFRIGERATOR, and No land-line phones OR cell phones.  This mornings paper reported the death of a Viet Nam veteran who was on oxygen for numerous reasons including lung cancer.  Without electricity he couldn't work his oxygen system.

Also the area is going through another major fire North of us, and one that has jumped I-80 (at the point where it is a eight to ten lane highway that is SouthEast of us.  Other than that the authorities have called for Mandatory evacuations.  Last night Highway 101 heading towards San Francisco was a slow moving Parking Lot.  I think it's the same this morning.

John Jackson

Mike, this whole sorry episode has left me with a really bad taste in my mouth.  I can’t help thinking your “plague” challenge was just a trick question designed to sucker in and embarrass poor engineers like me.  I confess that I cheated and Googled your quote and it came back – “Music Man” (I swear!).  Or was I just a victim of that “Fake News” stuff that everyone's talking about?

After flaming out in such an inglorious manner (and to try to rehabilitate my image as someone who only posts tiresome anti-Trump diatribes), I’ll mention that Carol (my wife) and I usually take some type of fall trip  and this year we’re going to Ottawa, capital of our great neighbor to the north.  We’ve been there a few times over the years and it’s a lovely city, very green and park-like with both the Ottawa River and the Rideau Canal system (built in 1827 to connect Ottawa to Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence) winding through the center of the city.  The city is small and walkable  - wherever you stay you can easily walk to Parliament Hill or along the canal (now devoted strictly to recreation) or you can even cross the river on a footbridge and you’re in Quebec.    

Normally we go when the fall colors are at their peak but this year we’re going a bit later to see a concert by Loreena McKennitt, a Canadian singer, at the National Arts Center (which I assume is Canada’s version of the Kennedy Center in Washington).  She got her start writing/making music for the Stratford (Ontario) Skaespeare Festival but has been on her own for the last 30 years or so.  She writes most of her own songs (a few are traditional) and they mostly have ancient Celtic themes but some also have Middle Eastern/Moorish influences (it sounds odd but it works).  I thought of her now because she’s put some excerpts from Shakespeare to music as well as  classic English/Irish poetry including Tennyson’s “Lady of Shallot” and  Yeats’ “The Stolen Child”.

It may sound kind of ethereal and high brow, but IMHO she takes some fairly esoteric musical themes and really pulls you in.  The links below are all from a concert she gave at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain in 2006.  PBS showed it as a special (maybe some of you saw it).  As usual, YouTube video quality leaves a lot to be desired, but I have the DVD (remember those?) and when it’s played on a big-screen TV hooked up to a decent sound system it’s pretty awesome.  For this concert she’s accompanied by three musicians (playing electric fiddle, cello, and guitar/mandolin/electric guitar) who have been with her since the start and another half dozen local musicians playing ancient/exotic/really obscure instruments (any oud or hurdy-gurdy fans out there?)

The first link below is to one of her own compositions and Halloween-appropriate, “All Souls Night” and  the second is Yeats’ “Stolen Child”.  The last, my favorite, is “The Bonny Swans” an ancient song with many, many versions – details vary from version to version but all tell the story of a young woman who drowns her younger sister in a fit of romantic jealousy.  The song has a fantasy/fairy tale aspect – the older sister gets her comeuppance when the drowned sister’s body is transformed first into a swan and then into a harp.  The harp somehow makes its way to the court of the king (who happens to be the father of the sisters) where it starts to play and sing on its own, telling the story of the older sister’s treachery. Are you all with me on the story line?  Ok, even if you’re not, listen to the guitar riffs - Led Zeppelin devotees might scoff, but for my money the guitar work approaches “Stairway to Heaven” territory.

All Souls Night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp2cOUb_Wgo

Stolen Child:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2DcrSGl9E8

Bonny Swans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdRsRuGqDC8

Lawrence Foster

A Little More Shakespeare.

Mike,  I appreciate being able to share the White Castles' prize for the Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare quote.  But, I am giving it all to Clare so she can take the grandkids out and spoil them rotten that way.   After all that is what we are supposed to do as grandparents.

I have just made a long post over on the User Forum about Shakespeare and added some photos and scans (a dozen) most of which are from my great aunt's visit to Stratford in 1904.  But here is one of them to tempt you all to go look at the others.

Below is a charcoal rubbing from Shakespeare's grave when she was there in 1904.  It now hangs in my home.  The security folks in Stratford said they don't allow rubbings to be made and originally said that rubbings don't exist.  When they found out it was from the early 1900s (115 years old now) they said that maybe one does exist.   If you have time to go over to the User Forum I hope you will enjoy the read.   

The poem written by Shakespeare says:

Good friend for Jesus sake forbear,

To digg the dust enclosed heare!

Blest be the man that spares these stones,

And curst be he that moves my bones.

There is a story that at one time Shakespeare's remains were going to be moved to Westminister Abbey and buried in the Poet's Corner where now are buried writers and poets like Browning, Chaucer, Dickens, Kipling, Tennyson, and many others.  But when the workers came and read the curse they refused to exhume the remains.     

Michael McLeod

Had breakfast with MC Hummer and Brian McNamara today.

Forgot to bring her the White Castles.

Guess this means I need to come back soon. Back to Orlando tomorrow am.

John: all you have to do to get me back is to ask me a simple nuts and bolts engineering question. Or watch me try to change a tire, Thanks for the music. Glorious.

Larry: I have seen that rubbing in the lobby of the Orlando Shakes. Love it!

Mark/Jocko: Brian and I regaled Mary Clare with our tale of the state fair escapade.