3. People Did The Craziest Things To Combat The Plague
People tried everything to combat the plague and avoid it. They tried to be happy and avoid bad thoughts, drank only good wine, avoided eating fruit, put fragrant herbs in beverages, avoided lechery, didn’t abuse the poor (which you shouldn’t do anyway), ate and drank in moderation, maintained a household in accordance with a person’s status, among other things. Doctors believed that bad smells could drive out the plague, so some treatments for the disease were using urine and dung. This caused the disease to spread rather than cure it.
With the idea of bad smells curing them, bathing was discouraged. Their first idea was the changing of clothes was a sign of vanity which angered God and was subsequently punished for their sins. Bathing was also believed to open pores, which hot water does, and caused the bad air to enter and exit the body. This was believed in Europe up until the 19th century. Due to not bathing, the Black Death caused the first instance of using Eau de Cologne and perfumes to cover up odors. So we have pestilence to thank for our fancy perfumes and body sprays.