Pest house
Pest house
Pest house (/pɛst haʊs/), also known as a plague house, is a type of building where people afflicted with communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis, smallpox, and cholera, were quarantined. The term "pest house" is derived from the Latin word pestis, meaning "plague".
Etymology
The term "pest house" originates from the Latin word pestis, which translates to "plague". These houses were so named because they were primarily used during times of plague to isolate those infected with the disease.
History
Pest houses were prevalent in Europe and North America from the 17th to the 19th centuries. They were often located on the outskirts of towns and cities to prevent the spread of disease. The conditions in these houses were typically poor, with minimal medical care provided.
Related Terms
- Quarantine: A period of isolation to prevent the spread of disease. Pest houses were often used for quarantine during outbreaks of infectious diseases.
- Epidemic: A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time. Pest houses were often established during epidemics.
- Pandemic: An epidemic of disease that has spread across a large region, for instance multiple continents, or worldwide. Pest houses were used during pandemics such as the Black Death and the Spanish flu.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Pest house
- Wikipedia's article - Pest house
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