Sweating sickness

Place

Time

Language

Disease

Animal

Keyword

Person

Nature event

River

Plague

Scribe

Social response

Victims

In Sweating sickness, a total of 1 epidemic events are known so far.

Events

	Date	Summary		Source	Translation	T

1529, September

An unknown epidemic, the sweating sickness or sudor anglicus follows a humid summer. Detailed description of symptoms and progression of the disease including countermeasures and victim numbers.

In diesem iahr (1529) ist ein sehr feuchter sommer gewesen, darauf ein hitzige pestilentz aus der feulung gefolget, die zuvorn in Deutschland vnerhort gewesen, hat man die Schweisssucht oder Engelendisch seuche genant, wie hernach folget. Es entstundt aus veschuldeter sundt vnd billichem zorn gottes, ein vnerhorte, neuw, erschreckliche plag vnd kranckheit, welche man die Engelendische sucht vnd kranckheit nennet, daran viel tausend menschen storben. Die menschen mit dieser plage behaftet, lagen etwa 24 stunde, ettliche minder wenig daruber so daran storben. Wer 24 stunde vberlebt, der kam gemeiniglich auf, die Kranckheit druckt den menschen gleich in einen tiefen schlaf. So man ihm dan nicht wehrete, mit rutteln, hin vnd her legen etc. auf das er nicht entschlief, so starb er dahin. Darumb wer genesen wolt, dem muste der schlaf in allwege gewehret werden.

In this year (1529), there was a very humid summer, followed by a fierce pestilence arising from the mists, which had never before been seen in Germany. It was called the sweating sickness or English disease, as follows. Arising from deserved sin and justifiable anger of God, there arose an unprecedented, new, terrifying plague and sickness, which is called the English sickness and disease, in which many thousands of people died. Those afflicted with this plague lay for about 24 hours, some less, some more, and those who died did so during that time. Whoever survived beyond 24 hours generally recovered; the sickness pressed people into a deep sleep. If they were not prevented from falling asleep, by shaking, turning them over, etc., so that they did not fall into a slumber, they died. Therefore, those who wanted to recover had to be prevented from sleeping at all costs. (Translation: Martin Bauch)

---

References

This is an EpiMedDat page, and outside EpiMedDat it is a mirrored or cloned page or similar. Please note that the page may then be outdated (15.07.2025) and no longer relate to the content. The original page is or was located at http://epimeddat.net/wiki/Sweating_sickness