[Artemisia] A New Discussion - SCA Skills in a Modern Plague

[Allen Hall]

Hello All,

It's been entirely too quiet around here.  We can't have that!  OK, so here's a new discussion topic I'd to hear your thoughts on.  There are some really smart people on this list, and your thoughts, research and opinions are interesting to me.

So here we go...

A modern Black Plague has started sweeping through another part of the world, but it is destined to arrive here eventually, much like the Plague of 1348 in Europe.  Antibiotics don't seem to be effective on this variety of the disease.  In the parts of the world that has been effected so far, power production, food production and trasnportation of goods has ceased because of the local populations fear of the disease.  Government "experts" say that it is inevitable that all parts of the US will be affected to one degree or another.  So there's your scenario.

The SCA prides itself on skills from the medieval period.  Perhaps because of our study of the period, we have more of an inkling of the effects of the Black Plague than the average person.  So, what skills do you have, and would you teach to others to survive the situation?  What animals (chickens, sheep, goats, cattle, horses, etc) would you recommend for use during this time of peril?  The whole range of considerations are open for discussion.  For example, what medicinal plants would you use, raise, etc?

Your thoughts on social interactions, etc.?

Looking forward to hearing from you!  We know that it can be survived, because our medieval ancestors did survive it.  So the lessons from those times may be applicable, though obviously, our modern situation is different than medieval Europe.

Alan