Naples Plague explores how recurring epidemics shaped public health strategies in Naples and across Europe. The book examines Naples' responses to devastating plagues, revealing how these crises led to innovations in public health administration, medical practices, and social support systems. Naples, despite its vibrant culture, faced immense challenges due to rapid population growth and inadequate sanitation, making it vulnerable to frequent outbreaks.
The book details specific plague outbreaks, analyzing their origins, mortality rates, and the evolution of medical understanding, from humoral theories to early germ theory concepts. It highlights the Neapolitan authorities' public health interventions, such as quarantine measures and sanitation reforms, noting that these responses were crucial in shaping enduring policies.
The narrative progresses by first establishing Naples' socio-economic conditions, then delving into individual outbreaks, and finally assessing the long-term impact on the city's infrastructure and social structures. By focusing on Naples, often overlooked in broader European plague history, the book provides a unique, in-depth perspective. It emphasizes how the city's experiences contributed to the development of public health strategies, offering valuable lessons applicable to contemporary challenges in managing pandemics.
The book uses archival documents, municipal records, and personal accounts to provide a fact-based analysis of Naples' historical struggle with disease.
