Black Death Inquiry Question #1

What were the symptoms of the Black Death?

There we three forms of the plague. These included the Bubonic plague; which was the most common of the three, as well as the Pneumonic Plague and the Septicemic Plague. 

Bubonic Plague
Victims of this plague would usually only still be living for five days, if not less.
The first symptom was painful swellings (buboes) that appeared in the victims' armpits or groin. From there, they would develop a fever, as well as large headaches and chills. The buboes would cause bleeding underneath the skin, which would turn the surrounding area blue or purple. Closer to death, the plague would attack the nervous system, causing the victim to suffer body spasms, or seizures. If the buboes burst, black liquid would ooze out of them and the victim may live. 
The image on the right shows a man revealing a buboe on his leg. From a 14th illumination.

Pneumonic Plague 
Most victims of this plague would only survive up to three days. There wasn't any buboes, however they suffered from severe coughing and chest pains, the fever, usually had difficulty breathing and would cough up blood. Barely anyone would recover from the peumonic form. 

Septicemic Plague
Victims of this form of the plague would die the most swiftly, and symptoms won't often appear before their death. However, victims may have experienced abdominal pain, nausea and bleeding due to blood clotting problems. 

“The first sign of the plague was that swellings appeared in the groin or the armpits. Some of the swellings became as large as an apple, sometimes they were the size of an egg. The deadly swellings then began to spread in all directions over the body. Then the disease changed. Black or red spots broke out, sometimes on the thigh or arm. These spots were large in some cases; in other they were almost like a rash.”

-The Decameron, Boccaccio


http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/000596sym.htm
http://historymedren.about.com/od/theblackdeath/a/death_defined.htm
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/symptoms_plague.htm
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/plague.htm