The visit to the plague-stricken man and what came of it

A historical account from Kronborg Castle in 1620 reveals the devastating impact of plague on Denmark, with approximately 16,000 deaths reported across Sjælland, Norway, and Jutland. The narrative highlights a strict regulation prohibiting castle servants from entering plague-infected homes, yet it details an incident where three soldiers defied this order to visit their afflicted comrade, Thomas Randers. This breach of protocol led to a confrontation with Sergeant Caspar, who accused them of violating the rules. The account underscores the tension between duty and compassion during a pandemic, while also illustrating the limited understanding of disease transmission at the time. The text serves as a poignant historical record, offering insights into medieval responses to infectious diseases.

(Ed.). (2017). The visit to the plague-stricken man and what came of it. The Life of the Icelander Jón Ólafsson, Traveller to India, Written by Himself and Completed About 1661 A.D., 106–110. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315556062-15