ABSTRACT
Early modern people had a number of explanations for the plague. Plague was often associated with atmospheric conditions. The interaction between the medical or scientific aspects of miasma and general cultural norms could be closely related. This is perhaps not so surprising, since early moderns crafted a worldview that absorbed plague into their understanding and experiences rather than created new categories for it. The great Italian epidemic of 1575-1578 led to a significant production of writing about plague—from both literary and medical standpoints. As with religion, medical and scientific understanding of and approaches to the plague drew from a well of classical texts and ideas. Many early modern medical experts similarly viewed the quality of air, often compromised in large urban centers through pollution or lack of sanitation, as a central mechanism in the development and spread of disease. As a result, disease could be associated with particular geographical locations or seasonal conditions.
