WEBVTT

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Mysteries of vernacular:

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Quarantine,

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a state, period, or place of strict isolation

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meant to prevent the spread of disease.

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In the 14th century,

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the Bubonic Plague,

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later called "The Black Death,"

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spread across Europe

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with devastating consequences.

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It's been estimated

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that the Plague decimated at least one-third

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of Europe's population.

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In a vain effort to stave off infection,

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the Italian-speaking port city of Ragusa,

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in what is now Croatia,

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mandated that ships arriving

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from Plague-infested areas

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remain isolated on the water

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until it was deemed likely

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that they weren't carrying a disease.

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This meant that the entire contents of a ship

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and all of its passengers

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were often forced to remain on board

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for five or six weeks before being let ashore.

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Though the drastic measure

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was only marginally successful,

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it wasn't long before other port cities followed suit.

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In 1397, the official period of isolation

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imposed on ships and crews

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was set at forty days.

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Although it did little to protect ports from infection,

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the directive stuck.

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From the Italian word quaranta,

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meaning forty,

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this period of stasis was given the name

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quarantine.

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And by the mid 1600s,

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the word quarantine was being used

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to describe any place,

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period,

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or state of isolation,

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plague-related or not.