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Chapter 12 - London Bills of Mortality of the Seventeenth Century

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 October 2022

By
Maura Ratia
Edited by
Irma Taavitsainen ,
Turo Hiltunen ,
Jeremy J. Smith  and
Carla Suhr
Irma Taavitsainen
Affiliation:
University of Helsinki
Turo Hiltunen
Affiliation:
University of Helsinki
Jeremy J. Smith
Affiliation:
University of Glasgow
Carla Suhr
Affiliation:
University of Helsinki
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Summary

This chapter examines the genre of bills of mortality covering plague epidemics of seventeenth-century London. The texts consist of largely numerical data, but providing up-to-date news about the progress of epidemics in different parts of the city was not their only function. Description of earlier, historical plague outbreaks was sometimes included and later, with the worsening of the epidemics, various remedies and religious advice were often added. Statistical information about the increase or decrease in the number of victims could also be given. The analysis combines linguistic analysis with that of the visual features, which were abundant especially towards the end of the period, used to emphasise certain elements and distinguish between different functions of the text. The study shows that these broadsheets adapted in multiple ways to the changing needs and wants of their readers in the course of the seventeenth century.

Keywords

bills of mortalityseventeenth-century Londonthe plaguegenre analysisvisual features
Type
Chapter
Information
Genre in English Medical Writing, 1500–1820
Sociocultural Contexts of Production and Use
 , pp. 187 - 210
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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