Parasites and pests from the medieval to the modern

historyWellcome Collectionmedieval · Europe

Parasites and pests from the medieval to the modern

the gist

Medieval people suffered from intestinal worms and lice, and excavations of latrines show parasites were common. Richard III had roundworm when he died at Bosworth, and Ferdinand of Naples had head and pubic lice, so even the very rich were affected. People were just as bothered as we are. Doctors believed worms arose by spontaneous generation from 'corrupt matter' in the gut, produced by an excess of phlegm from overeating or the wrong foods, and recommended treatments aimed at diet and purging.

how it works

Medieval doctors followed the Greek theory of four humours. Excess phlegm was thought to produce worms, so treatments tried to rebalance the humours through diet, purging and herbal remedies.

so what

Archaeology and records show that disgust at parasites is old. The explanation was wrong, but the medieval belief that diet and cleanliness mattered reasoned from observation.

fun fact

Parasite eggs are preserved in latrine soil, which is how archaeologists identify them.

Wellcome Collection · CC BY 4.0

Illustrative photo · Marco Vinci, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

source: Wellcome Collection ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗