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Aids, Alzhiemers, The Nurse, The History of Pekingese Dogs and The Black Death
Alzheimers
Alzheimer’s…a dreaded word. It conjures up visions of taking a walk and not being able to find our way back home. We don’t want to think about it, but with four million people affected, ten percent of them in Florida, it’s hard not to. This column is devoted to Alzheimer’s disease, a brain disorder that destroys our ability to reason, remember, and learn. In it, I hope to include the personal experiences of readers, expert interviews, coping skills, legal and financial issues, research updates and treatment information. This column is about hope: progress is being made and knowledge is power. I invite comments, suggestions, and stories from readers. Together, we can learn, grow, and cope. I hope no hypochondriacs are reading this because I would like to leave you with ten warning signs of early AD.
Frequent forgetfulness that affects job performance
Difficulty performing familiar tasks of daily living
Difficulty remembering simple words and language
Disorientation as to time and place
Inappropriate judgement
Loss of abstract thinking skills
Frequently misplacing things
Extreme changes in mood
Personality changes - paranoia, fear and confusion
Loss of motivation
If you are living with AD, as a patient, caretaker or health care worker, you are in good company. Winston Churchill, Rita Hayworth, and Ronald Reagan all had Alzheimer’s.
The Nurse
Vincent trudged through the snow and up the steps of the old, brick hospital. He had made this trek many times during the 14 years he had been employed there. Today, though, Vince’s senses seemed especially acute. The nurse was aware of all the details he normally took for granted. It was as if Vincent knew this was the last time he would pass through these doors. Dark green ivy was crawling up the crumbling brick walls. The serenity of the arched windows and doors was like a nurturing Mother welcoming him home. The light dusting of snow had smoothed her wrinkles. The ancient hospital looked inviting, safe, and warm. Vincent opened the massive front doors and was assaulted by the pungent smell of alcohol, disinfectant cleaner, and…death. His nostrils twitched with the harsh medley of odors. Vincent’s large, white sneakers squeaked on the heavily varnished hardwood floors. He heard hushed voices, computer keys clicking, monitors beeping, and metal clanging. Occasionally, a patient’s high pitched wail or low ghostly moan floated through the halls. The nurse continued down the corridor, passing doors with smoked glass windows and examination rooms containing glass jars full of cotton, tongue depressors, and lollipops. Vincent Clayton despised this place.
Vincent could see her now, leaning against the nurses’ desk. Robyn, Vincent’s live in lover, was just finishing the first half of a double shift. Vinnie watched her. Robyn wore a conservative, crisp, white uniform. Vince imagined the first nurses to work in this old building dressed this way. Robyn had a white silk rose pinned to her collar. Vinnie’s eyes meandered down her body, past long, tan legs, caressed by sheer white stockings, to the white shoes with the little red hearts. Robyn was beautiful. Her dark hair and eyes stood in contrast with the stark white dress. She was petite and sexy. Vincent, smiling, looked into Robyn’s eyes. His smile faded when he saw a look of disgust there.
Vincent had seen that same expression in his mother’s bitter eyes. Vincent remembered the time his mother had given him a quarter and sent the little boy to the store to buy a newspaper. Vinnie was small and proud to be sent on such an important errand. Little Vince dropped the coin into the slot and pulled the handle to retrieve the newspaper. The box would not open. Frantically Vincent jiggled it, pushed it, and pulled it. Vince banged the box, pounding it, trying to coax the quarter out. Nothing happened. Vince sniffled and started to cry as he slowly walked home empty-handed.
Young Vinnie knew that his mother would be angry. The little boy slowly climbed the stairs to their old dilapidated house. His mother was waiting, a witch, blocking the front door. “Mommy, the machine took the money, and I couldn’t get the door open. I didn’t mean to lose the quarter Mommy.â€ÂÂÂ
The witch paralyzed him with that now familiar contemptuous gaze. “Vincent Thomas Clayton,†she said, “you can’t do even the simplest thing right can you? What will it take Vincent, to straighten you out? You stole that money and bought some candy didn’t you? You are a worthless little shit, so worthless that you drove your own father away. We were happy until you were born. You have ruined my existence. You are a punishment, Vincent Thomas, that God has inflicted on me.â€ÂÂÂ
Vincent’s mother beat the young boy mercilessly and locked him in a chilly, damp, dark closet. His mother was drunk. Vince hoped she would not fall asleep with a lit cigarette and burn the house down while he was helpless to escape. The frightened child pounded the door loudly; hurting his little knuckles, and cried himself to sleep. Vincent came back to the present with a start. Heart monitors beeping and oxygen machines whooshing, slowly seeped back into his consciousness. Vincent could hear Robyn’s voice, shrill like his mothers, but could not distinguish the words she was saying. It was something about his drinking before work. Robyn could always smell it; sense it. She should she mind her own business. It was his life. Vinnie did not need another mother treating him like a naughty child. Vincent’s guilt, blame, and self-hatred manifested itself as anger. He tried to keep the anger at bay by drinking, and Vincent often beat Robyn when he needed a release. Vinnie had stolen some narcotics from the hospital and had almost been caught. Vincent knew that the other nurses suspected that he was the thief. Vinnie needed the drugs. He craved the relief and the forgetting that came with the high.
Vincent became aware of his surroundings. He looked around. It seemed to Vince that everyone was watching him; judging him. Vincent noticed a strange buzzing in his ears. It grew louder and more piercing. He saw an IV kit behind the desk. Vince lifted the kit and fondled it. Robyn’s voice, combined with the now deafening buzz was becoming unbearable. Vincent opened the package, slowly and deliberately. Vincent removed a disposable scalpel from the pack and turned towards the irritating female voice. Vincent slashed Robyn’s delicate throat. His lover slid slowly to the floor. Vincent knelt, crying, beside Robyn. He then began stabbing her repeatedly. Vinnie saw the look of puzzlement and disbelief on Robyn’s sweet face as he continued to thrust and plunge the sharp knife into her vulnerable, yielding flesh. Vinnie was determined to kill Robyn, his mother, and everyone who had ever humiliated him. Vincent was crazed, unable to stop the awful destruction, and felt satisfaction with every thrust of the sharp deadly, instrument.
Vincent opened his eyes and found himself leaning against the wall next to Robyn’s lifeless body. The fresh, feminine, blood a flowing red river along the hills and valleys of Robyn’s corpse. The roaring buzz in Vincent’s ears diminished and finally disappeared. Vincent could hear telephones ringing, then someone screaming. Time passed slowly. Vincent noticed a flash of movement near him. It was two police officers, guns drawn. Vincent took the scalpel and plunged it into his own neck
The ICU was peaceful and quiet. The sounds were soft and muted. Was this heaven? No, it could not be. Vincent’s mother had told him he would never go to heaven. She said that Vinnie would burn in hell forever because he was such a dreadful boy. Angels were calling him now. Vince heard his name, as if from a great distance, but could only blink. His neck throbbed and his chest felt as if something heavy were crushing it. Vincent could not breathe, and felt panicky. Soothing voices calmed him. The angels were nurses. He was told to rest. He was in his hospital, in a room on the intensive care unit. Vincent had been in ICU, hovering near death, for five days.
The days passed and Vincent grew stronger. He began to remember what he had done. Vincent realized that he had murdered his lover. He was aware that a guard was posted outside the door, trying to be inconspicuous. His mother had been right. He was an evil person. He did not deserve to live. Why had they not let him die? He could not possibly go to prison. Vinnie rejected the thought of being locked up, as he had been in that dark, cold closet so many years ago.
Vincent was sitting up in his hospital bed eating breakfast when the doctor arrived bearing the bad news. The physician informed Vincent that he was to be released and transferred to the prison infirmary. The police were ready to transport him and were waiting just outside the door. Vincent gave the doctor a look of utter despair. Vinnie then lifted the knife from his breakfast tray and plunged it, deeply, quickly, and brutally into his own heart. Death embraced Vincent Thomas Clayton like a loving, comforting Mother. The last thing Vincent saw was the young doctor’s horrified helpless face.
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The History of the Pekingese Dog in China
The Pekingese dog, also known as the lion dog, originated in China. They do not really resemble dogs or lions. They are a creature unto themselves, with their long flowing hair, flat face, and large round eyes. One can easily imagine them residing in a palace, wearing priceless jeweled collars, and dining on royal food. A variety of facts, legends, and myths surround the Pekingese in China. Exploring the history of the Pekingese proves to be a fascinating journey through Chinese dynasties, as well as the Pekingese’s close encounter with extinction.
The lion dog was an integral thread in the fabric of Chinese history. These dogs played a role in bringing down the Manchu dynasty and ending Imperial rule in China forever (Coren 217). Their story begins with Buddha. Buddhism originated in India more than five centuries before Christ was born. Buddhism is full of symbolism involving animals. Lions were the most feared animal in India and as such became the symbol of violence and passion. There is a parable that Buddha tamed the lion and taught it to follow at his heels like a faithful dog. One story tells how Buddha soared through the heavens on the lion’s back (Coren 216). The lion became closely associated with Buddha and is a major symbol in the religion. Buddhism entered China through the trade routes of Asia (Godden 33) during the first four centuries A.D. Although they had never seen a real one, the Chinese were willing to accept the image of the lion as a symbol of their new religion (Coren 216).
The Han emperor, Ming Ti, accepted the teachings of Buddhism and abandoned the teachings of Confucius. Ming Ti was spiritual and superstitious. He felt that as the Son of Heaven, he also should have a lion as a companion. The people of China were familiar with tigers, but did not have a clear image of what a lion looked like. Representations of lions in the form of small sculptures had made their way into China from India, but were not accurate likenesses. These lions usually had flattened faces so that they could be comfortably worn as a necklace. One of the emperor’s associates suggested that the emperor’s own dog closely resembled a lion. They trimmed the little Pekingese’s face and shaved its tail in order to make it appear as lion-like as possible. These little dogs became the symbol of Buddhism in China and of the emperor himself (Coren 217).
These dogs had been popular as pets among the Chinese nobility for centuries before becoming the symbol of Buddhism. Confucius wrote of a “short mouthed†dog in 500 B.C. They were known as Ha-pa, or under the table dogs. Chinese tables are less than a foot off the floor as the Chinese sit on mats rather than chairs, meaning these dogs were quite small. Some of these little lion dogs were so small (Vlasto and De Pledge 14) that they could fit inside a sleeve, providing warmth on cold days.
Once these little dogs became associated with Buddhism, royalty began to encourage the breeding of more of these diminutive dogs that fit their distorted image of the lion. People began to believe that Buddha’s companion had actually been one of these dogs, rather than the lion. They became known as Fo-dogs, Fo meaning Buddha in Chinese. Statues of lion dogs became very popular, especially at the entrances to Buddhist temples. They are often portrayed with the female having her left paw on the mouth of her cub. This originated with the belief that lions fed milk to their young through the pads of their feet(Coren 217).
By the end of the 1500’s the idea of the lion dog as a symbol of Buddha had become ingrained in Chinese culture. The Pekingese were frequently portrayed in Chinese art (Nicholas 9). There are many legends that explain the origin of the Pekingese. One such myth tells the story of the lion falling in love with a marmoset. He was too large to be her mate and asked Buddha for assistance with his problem. Buddha made the lion small but allowed him to keep his strong spirit and courage. The offspring of the tiny lion and his beloved marmoset were the Pekingese. Another fable tells of a female lion that was tired of the brutish affection of her mate. She was in love with a delicate butterfly. The Buddha made this female lion small as well, and their children, the Pekingese, became known as butterfly lions. Their true origin is unknown. When the Dalai Lama sent Lhasa Apsos to the emperor of China, these were bred with the Pekingese, and resulted in the Shih Tzu. Tibetan Spaniels bred by the Buddhist lamas in Tibet were interbred with the Pekingese to form the Japanese Chin (Vlasto and De Pledge 15).
The finest lion dogs in China were bred and if these attempts failed to produce the ideal Pekingese, man-made intervention occurred. Their tails were bitten off if too long. If the nose was too long it might be broken with a stick. In order to keep the face flat, the butterfly lions would be fed from a stretched piece of pigskin. It took the dogs hours to eat the tiny bits of food attached to the skin, thus putting continuous pressure on the nose. Another time consuming and labor intensive method of manipulating the features of the Pekingese involved the eunuchs (Coren 219). They would massage the puppies’ muzzles so that they would remain short. After several hours, the puppy would pass to the hands of another eunuch or slave and the massage would continue. These puppies rarely touched the floor until maturity, as this massaging was continuous. They also massaged the entire body to keep the dog small (220). This was less cruel than the practice of keeping the puppy in a tiny cage to restrict its growth, which is reminiscent of the Chinese practice of feet binding.
The breeding of Pekingese became a privilege allowed only in the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City was built early in the 1400’s during the Ming dynasty and contained eight hundred buildings, with nine thousand rooms. All the lion dogs were confined to the Forbidden City for their entire lives. There was an Imperial kennel with cages of bamboo and a large staff of eunuchs and slaves to care for the dogs. All activity in the kennel was reported to the chief eunuch and he then passed this information on to the emperor. It was illegal for commoners to own Pekingese, and if they came across one while crossing the courtyard, they had to avert their eyes (Godden 40). The royal dogs were given titles such as viceroy and duke and treated as aristocrats.
The emperor Ming of the Tang dynasty had a favorite Pekingese named Wo. She would jump into his lap whenever he showed signs of distress. Once Ming was playing a game of chess with a prince and many observers were gathered around to watch. The emperor was losing the game and was becoming more and more embarrassed and upset. Little Wo sensed this and in the process of jumping up into his lap, knocked the board over, irretrievably disrupting the game. The emperor apologized to the prince but wore a satisfied smile. It is said that several days later Wo was wearing a new, jeweled collar (Godden 31).
The greatest influence of the butterfly lion occurred during the reign of Tzu Hsi, also known as the Dowager Princess of China. She was born in 1835. Her father was a captain in the banner corps that guarded the emperor’s home during the Manchu or Qing dynasty. At 18 years of age she was very beautiful and was engaged to a Manchu garrison commander. She came to the attention of the emperor, Hsien Feng, and the engagement ended. She was chosen to be a concubine (Coren 222) and went to live in the Forbidden City.
Tzu Hsi was a concubine of the third rank and as such did not receive any respect or trust. This soon changed when she gave birth to a son, Tsai Chun. She then became a concubine of the first rank and with this promotion came access to documents of state. She read all reports and offered advice on important issues. She was an excellent bureaucrat and had powerful connections to the military through her father and former fiancé. She was not above using bribery and violence to advance her own ambitions. She soon became a very powerful woman (Godden 53).
The emperor died at the age of thirty and Tzu Hsi’s son became emperor at the age of five. Tzu Hsi and the emperor’s first wife, who had not had a son, would be regents together for the new child emperor. Many of the influential nobles were against this plan, so Tzu Hsi used her military connections to help further her aspirations. The brother of the recently deceased emperor allied himself with the two empresses and together they took control of the Chinese government. They had their enemies put to death, except for two, which they allowed to commit suicide. Another rival, the emperor’s favorite concubine, mysteriously disappeared and it is thought that Tzu Hsi had her thrown down a well. The two empresses now had no opposition. When government officials and delegations came to see the child emperor, Tzu Hsi would sit behind a screen that was placed behind his throne and tell him what to say (Coren 223). In this way, Tzu Hsi’s words became imperial law.
The two empresses had a disagreement over the chief eunuch. The first wife (Godden 50) thought that he received too many special privileges and had too much power. Tzu Hsi knew how much influence the eunuchs had and had made it a point to form an alliance with them. She had the eunuchs give poison to the first wife and Tzu Hsi was left to reign alone. Tzu Hsi’s son had married at sixteen and she was concerned that his wife might interfere with her reign or bear an heir. The young emperor died under mysterious conditions and his wife immediately committed suicide under suspicious circumstances as well. Tzu Hsi made her three-year-old nephew the new emperor, made herself his guardian, and maintained control of the government (Coren 224).
During this time, Tzu Hsi developed a stronger interest in the lion dogs. The little dogs represented the spirit of Buddha. Tzu Hsi understood psychology and she knew that the more she associated herself with the sacred dogs, the more people would associate her with Buddha. The priests told her that she would absorb some of the qualities of Buddha if she spent more time with the dogs. Tzu Hsi continued the policy of restricting the butterfly lions to the Forbidden City. Anyone caught removing one would be sentenced to death (Vlasto and De Pledge 14).
The Buddhist priests interpreted the colors and markings of the dogs. Tzu Hsi believed these interpretations. When a puppy had a white spot on the top of its head, this was thought of as the third eye, giving the dog the ability to sense gods and spirits and know the future. A red dog was said to symbolize happiness, fire, and the direction south. Yellow dogs represented the country of China and the Imperial dynasty. White dogs could represent death or purity and innocence, as well as the direction west. Dogs that were black represented death, mourning, cold, and the direction north. Dogs with mixed colors had more complex interpretations (Coren 226).
When a new litter of puppies was born, the kennel keeper made a note of the sexes and colors. He passed this on to the chief eunuch who in turn passed it on to the priests. The priests would then make an interpretation and the chief eunuch would take this information to the empress. To what extent these interpretations may have affected Tzu Hsi’s decisions concerning the government is unknown. Some of the empress’s confidants, such as Princess Der-Ling, made notes in their diaries on state decisions (Coren 227) that appear to have been influenced by the interpretations of the dogs.
When the new emperor reached adulthood he instituted a move toward the westernization of China. The displeased empress moved to the summer palace, ten miles from Peking, with her eunuchs and dogs. Meanwhile the emperor made a series of rapid transformations known as the “Hundred Days of Reform†(Ch’ing China par.2). These included the construction of railroads, military improvements, and changes in public education. The nobles lost much of their power and the emperor fired those who opposed him, alienating many powerful aristocrats. These disgruntled Manchu went to the empress for assistance. Tzu Hsi knew she had just one chance to move against her nephew; if she failed, he would have her killed. A single puppy was born while Tzu Hsi was pondering her options. This puppy was a yellow female with a white spot on her head. The interpretation was that a female would stand-alone and rule China. The spot was in the center of the forehead, indicating that China should remain as always and not lean towards westernization. The number one, as in a litter of one puppy, meant a guarantee or assurance. Tzu Hsi took this to mean that she would succeed in taking over the throne (Coren 228) and stopping the reforms.
Her previous fiancé was still the commander of the garrison and they arranged to have the palace guards replaced by her allies. Her nephew was terrified by her return to the palace, as she was in the habit of having her enemies killed. He is said to have thrown himself on the floor and declared, “I am not worthy to rule.†Tzu Hsi accepted his resignation, placed him in prison, and resumed her powerful reign (Godden 106).
Soon after Tzu Hsi returned, violence erupted. A group known as I Ho Ch’uan, meaning The Righteous and Harmonious Fists, was a secret society of martial artists. They believed that they were immune from harm, even from bullets. Their fighting had a ritual quality and in England, they became known as the Boxers (Small Planet par.6).
Although Tzu Hsi had blocked the reforms in China, westerners were coming into the country in ever increasing numbers (Qing par.8). Some were businessmen, others missionaries. Both groups were exposing the Chinese to western ideas. The general of the Boxers knew that many Chinese saw these visitors from the west as a threat to their way of life, and he began to recruit Chinese peasants into the Boxer society. The Boxers requested a meeting with the empress to discuss the Boxer Rebellion, which would rid China of the foreigners. The empress had concerns about this action. She did not know the extent of the power of her enemies and did not want China to suffer defeat and humiliation (Coren 229).
On the morning of her meeting with the Boxers, a new litter of Pekingese was born. The chief eunuch reported that three puppies had been born. Two were red, one was yellow, and all three had a white spot in the center of the forehead. Red signified happiness and success; yellow represented China, and the white spots meant the endeavor would be blessed. Despite her grave concerns (Coren 230), the empress approved the request of the Boxers as a result of the interpretations.
At first the Boxer Rebellion was successful. They killed foreigners and Chinese who had converted to Christianity. They seized what could be used and destroyed what was left. The international powers formed an alliance and an army of Russians, British, Americans, French, Germans, and Japanese arrived in Peking. The empress ordered 140,000 Boxers to attack the diplomats and foreigners living in Peking. This siege lasted for eight weeks. In August 1900, the international alliance captured Peking, broke into the Forbidden City, and looted it. The empress escaped by disguising herself as a peasant and sneaking out (Small Planet par.12). Her favorite butterfly dogs were taken to safety, but there was neither the manpower, nor the time to save them all. Tzu Hsi ordered that no Pekingese be left alive. If they could not be saved, she would rather have them killed than fall into the hands of foreigners (Godden 95).
In a back room of the palace, guarded by five tiny Pekingese, the aunt of the empress waited to be saved. The French and English soldiers broke in and she committed suicide rather than be captured. These five tiny lion dogs were the first to fall into foreign hands (Vlasto and De Pledge 17). All of these would end up in the hands of English aristocrats and the Pekingese we know today descended from these dogs.
An English Captain, Charles Hart Dunne, purchased one of these Pekingese at a French army camp and sent it to Queen Victoria as a gift. He implored her to make it a special pet (Vlasto and De Pledge 18). Unfortunately the queen was breeding her favorite dogs at the time, Pomeranians, and did not accept this little dog, appropriately named Lootie, into Windsor Castle. When Captain Dunne came to visit he found Lootie trying to hold her own against the large hounds and terriers in the Buckingham Palace kennels. He told the kennel keeper that this dog, used to royal treatment, needed special attention, or she would die. Although a portrait of Lootie hung in Windsor Castle for many years and now hangs in the Lord Chamberlain’s office, Victoria never took the little dog into her heart. The kennel keeper, however took sympathy on the tiny, displaced Lootie, gave her extra attention, and she went on to live eleven years in England under his care (Coren 231).
The English Admiral, Lord John Hay, kept one little Pekingese from the looting of the palace in Peking; another was given to his sister. The remaining two lion dogs were given to the duchess of Richmond. Several years later, two more Pekingese were smuggled out of China. These few dogs went on to establish the breed of Pekingese in the west (Godden 94).
After the looting of Peking, Tzu Hsi fled north to the city of Sian. The empress eventually had to sign a humiliating settlement called the Peace of Peking. Tzu Hsi was angry at the failure of the Boxer rebellion and the resulting treaty, which favored foreign interests in trade and allowed international troops to be stationed in Peking. She blamed those around her and many were banished, killed, or allowed (Hooker par.3) to commit suicide. One certainly wonders about the fate of the priest who interpreted the last litter.
The empress returned to the Forbidden City and reforms began. Railroads were built, public education improved, laws were changed to avoid the excessive punishments of the past, and many technological innovations were adopted. Tzu Hsi relaxed her rules concerning the butterfly lions as well. They were still rare and not to be owned by commoners, but occasionally she would present a Pekingese as a gift to a high-ranking foreigner. She gave a lion dog to Alice Roosevelt, daughter of American President Theodore Roosevelt. Another was given to J.P. Morgan (Scott 5). These dogs formed the American bloodline for the breed. The empress still kept Pekingese and their sacred status remained intact until the communists took control of China. The new government did not allow these dogs to live as they were seen as a symbol of the decadent and corrupt aristocracy that they had overthrown.
When Tzu Hsi died, she left a poem about the nature of the butterfly dog. The document is entitled, “Pearls Dropped from the Lips of her Imperial Majesty Tzu Hsiâ€ÂÂ:
Let the Lion Dog be small;
Let it wear the swelling cape of dignity around its neck;
Let it display the billowing standard of pomp in a tail held high above its back.
Let its face be black;
Let its forefront be shaggy;
Let its forehead be straight and low, like unto the brow of an Imperial Boxer.
Let its eyes be large and luminous;
Let its ears be set like the sails of a war-junk;
Let its nose be like that of the monkey god of the Hindus.
Let its forelegs be bent;
So that it shall not desire to wander far, nor leave its Imperial home.
Let its body be shaped like a hunting lion, that stalks its prey.
Let its feet be tufted with plentiful hair that its footfall may be soundless,
And for its standard of pomp
Let its tail rival the whisk of the Tibetan yak,
Which is flourished to protect the Imperial litter from flying insects.
For its color,
Let it be that of a lion-a golden sable,
To be carried in the sleeve of a yellow robe;
Or the color of a red bear,
Or a black and white bear,
Or striped like a dragon,
So that there may be dogs appropriate to every costume in the Imperial wardrobe
And whose fitness to appear at public ceremonies shall be judged by their color
And their artistic contrast with the Imperial robes.
Let it be lively that it may afford entertainment by its gambols;
Let it be discreet that it may not involve itself in danger;
Let it be domestic in its habits that it may live in amity with the other beasts; fishes, or birds that find protection at the Imperial Palace.
Let it venerate its ancestors
And deposit offerings in the canine cemetery of the Forbidden City on each new moon.
Let it be taught to refrain from gadding about;
Let it come to know how to comport itself with the dignity of a Duchess;
Let it learn to bite foreign devils instantly.
Let it wash its face like a cat with its paws;
Let it be dainty with its food so that it shall be known as an Imperial dog by its
fastidiousness.
Sharks’ fins and curlews’ livers and the breasts of quails,
On these may it be fed;
And for drink give it the tea that is brewed from the spring buds of the shrub
that grows in the province of Hankow,
Or the milk of the antelopes that pasture in the Imperial parks.
Thus shall it preserve its integrity and self- respect;
And for the day of sickness
Let it be anointed with the clarified fat of the leg of a sacred leopard,
And give it to drink an eggshell from a song thrush
Full of the juice of the custard apple in which has been dissolved three pinches of
Shredded rhinoceros horn,
And apply to it piebald leeches.
So it shall remain.
But if it dies,
Remember, thou too art mortal (Godden 127).
In Chinese history, the Pekingese went from being a pet, to being sacred, to being banned. This author is fortunate enough to share her home with a pair of butterfly lions. Though they do not sleep on exquisitely embroidered pillows or wear priceless jewels, they do carry themselves with royal dignity and have an air of wisdom. They are old souls. It is difficult to separate true facts from legend in the history of the Pekingese in China. Whether fact or fiction, the stories of the sacred lion dogs give us a unique insight into the religion, culture, and tradition of China.
Works Cited
Buschini, J. “The Boxer Rebellion.†Small Planet Communications Teaching Resources. (13 pars.) (12 july, 2002).
Coren, Stanley. The Pawprints of History. New York: The Free Press, 2002.
Godden, Rumer. The Butterfly Lions. New York: The Viking Press, 1978.
Hooker, Richard. “Ch’ing China.†(3 pars.). (12 July, 2002).
Nicholas, Anna Katherine. The Pekingese. New Jersey: T.F.H. Publicatins, Inc., 1990.
Quing Dynasty. Emuseum. (8 pars.). (12July, 2002).
Scott, Alice. How to Raise and Train a Pekingese. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., 1959.
Vlasto, John A., and Mary De Pledge. The Pekingese. New York: Arco Publishing Company,Inc., 1969.
The Black Death in Europe
“Oh happy posterity who will not experience such abysmal woe - and who will look upon our testimony as fable.†These words of the humanist Petrarch, describe the horror of the Black Death. The great pestilence, as it was called at the time, crept into Europe in the fall of 1347. The Black Death left in its wake many dead as well as profound changes in European society, economy, culture, and politics.
The Black Death was an organism carried by rats. The fleas that infest the rats bite humans. The rats and the humans die, while the infected fleas live on. Symptoms of the Black Death included fevers, aching, vomiting, and swelling of the lymph nodes. The areas of swelling turn black, giving the disease its name (Knox, “Persecution†par. 3).
Overall population loss in Europe was approximately one third. In Venice, which kept accurate records, sixty percent of the residents died during the first eighteen months of the Black Death. Five hundred to six hundred lives a day were lost at this time. Certain occupations experienced a higher mortality rate. Clergy and physicians who cared for the sick were especially hard hit. At Avignon, fifty percent of the clergy perished. One third of the cardinals were lost. Pope Clement VI consecrated the Rhine River (Knox, “Population†par. 7) so corpses could be sunk in it.
The people became obsessed with confronting death (Wild par. 14). This was reflected in art and literature. In pre-Black Death art, nobles were portrayed in good health; wearing fine clothes. After the Black Death appeared, decomposing bodies wearing rags were depicted socializing with living beings. Suffering became a popular theme in art (Knox, “Art†par. 3).
Literature became dark and somber. Architecture suffered as well. The Black Death killed many skilled architects as well as many master masons, who did the detail
work on cathedrals and castles (Gottfried 156). Less complicated architectural designs were used leading to a decline in European architecture.
Many scholars died as well, crippling the university system. Universities were abandoned or closed. The Black Death killed sixteen of forty professors at Cambridge (Knox, “Cultural†par. 2). The best of the clerics were sent to replace the lost professors, leaving the inexperienced, poorly trained clergy to teach primary and secondary schools. There was a decline in the standard of education. Students entering the universities were academically unprepared. There was an increase in the use of native languages rather than Latin. In 1353, English was made the official language in London courts (Gottfried 155).
Death was near and people were emotional. They reacted in different ways. Some pursued sensual pleasures, spent money excessively and drank to excess. Others became penitent, believing the disease was a punishment sent from God as a penalty for sins.
Flagellism appeared. The flagellants moved in groups of several hundred, the men in front and the women bringing up the rear. They wore white robes decorated with large red crosses. When they reached a town, they made their way to the most prominent church, removed their outer clothing and whipped themselves. People turned out in large numbers to watch the flagellants. Spectators would often sob and cry. The flagellants were seen as martyrs. They seemed honest and pure of heart, in contrast to the clergy, which the public had come to see as corrupt and unable to ease their pain and fear. The hair and nail clippings of the flagellants were seen as sacred. There are records of villages bringing the dead to the flagellants in hopes that they would resurrect them. At first, the flagellants were well organized and seldom challenged by civil or church authorities.
By 1348 the noble and bourgeois element of the flagellants had dropped out of the movement. Authorities lost sympathy for the movement and at this time Pope Clement VI issued orders forbidding flagellism (Gottfried 72).
One of the things that flagellants preached was anti-Semitism. The medical faculty from the distinguished universities of Paris and Montpellier declared that the Jews were not to blame for the Black Death. They pointed out that the Jews drank the same water as their neighbors and had the same mortality rate. The pope ordered the clergy to protect the Jews. However, Jews were expelled from Zurich, Switzerland in 1348. Strasbourg tried to protect the Jews but in February 1349 the Council of the Merchants Guild had two thousand Jews burned. Citizens sifted through the smoldering ashes looking for valuables. The violence against Jews escalated and thousands more were massacred. As a result, the surviving Jews migrated eastward to Poland and Russia (Knox, “Persecution†par. 2).
Traumatized, the survivors of the Black Death suffered profound psychological effects. The people were in shock. The survivors mourned, experienced depression, and lived in fear that the Black Death would return (Gottfried 84). The Christians and Muslims agreed that the hereafter was more important than the here and now on earth. The Muslims chose not to flee, believing that succumbing to the Black Death was a gift from God and constituted martyrdom. The Christians were afraid and did not find solace from their church. They sought alternative paths to spiritual peace and salvation (Nelson par. 18). The church was already weak, due to the Babylonian Captivity and now the people felt the church was letting them down. The death of so many of the clergy weakened the church further. There were not enough priests to hear confession or offer
comfort. Thomas Bradwardine, just after being named Archbishop of Canterbury, was struck down by the Black Death. He was an intellectual; a former Oxford university academic and resisted some of the church dogma. He had Copernican ideas years before Copernicus and Galileo. Had he lived, the church dogma may have been challenged (Fumento par. 10).
The Black Death had profound economic consequences. Construction was stopped or abandoned. Guilds lost many of their craftsmen. Machinery broke down and remained in disrepair. There was a labor shortage; workers could demand high wages. The standard of living rose for those who were still alive because there was an over supply of goods at low prices. Peasants had a wide variety of occupations available to them because so many had died. If they did not receive high wages, low rents, and good working conditions they would simply go elsewhere for better work (Cantor 203). The nobles did not like these changes and the government attempted to fix wages and restrict occupations. The Black Death had irreversibly changed the economy and the nobles would not return to the feudal system that had served them so well.
The most important economic change that came with depopulation was the way land was farmed and held (Gottfried 135). The decrease in population virtually ended the manorial system. Many of the rural survivors moved to the city so there was a shortage of agricultural workers. The soil had been depleted, but due to the depopulation caused by the Black Death, vegetation returned and the woodlands were reforested. Many lords were forced to lease their entire estate, accepting cash for rent, and becoming absentee landlords. Animal husbandry became profitable for those with large tracts of land. The increase in the standard of living caused an increase in demand for meat. Sheep were
popular as mutton kept well, an important consideration in the days before refrigeration(Gottfried 138). Sheep fleece was used to make wool. Some farmers flooded their fields and stocked them with carp. After several years the fields were drained, the fish collected, and the newly fertilized fields were sown. Some small landowners cultivated specialized cash crops such as sugar and fruit for wine. Barley was grown to make ale. Industrial crops associated with textiles were popular. Silkworms were raised in Italy. Hemp and flax were grown in Germany. These crops were more labor intensive than wheat but they continued to pull in high market prices (139).
The wealthiest aristocrats settled into their roles as absentee landlords and many moved to country estates. For the lesser Lords, the changes were catastrophic. They did not own enough land to survive in an age with low rent and high prices. They had to farm the land themselves or find another source of income, usually in the military or clergy (139).
Peasants became rich as their land holdings increased. One sign of the new prosperity among peasants was the change in inheritances. Before the Black Death, only the eldest son would inherit the father’s property. By 1450, all the sons and even the daughters were given some land (140).
As the economic power and social prestige of the landowner declined, their ability to enforce the law also decreased. The fabric of society began to unravel as people resorted to violence to resolve their differences (97). Three major revolts occurred as a result of post Black Death economic and social tensions, combined with the Hundred Years’ war and high taxes: The Jacquerie in France, the Peasants’ Revolt in England and the Ciompi in Florence. Wat Tyler and John Ball led the Peasants’ Revolt in England. After an early period of success the peasants were defeated by the aristocracy. The
peasants benefited from higher wages and the poll tax was eliminated (Gottfried 101).
The Ciompi in Florence was an urban industrial rebellion. The Ciompi began in 1378 when many workers were laid off. The workers looted and burned the homes of the
rich. They demanded the right to form their own guilds. By 1383 the textile crisis was over and the value of money had rebounded. The merchant elite regained power (101). Following the Black Death the urban population recovered quickly. Rural population recovered more slowly because many of the survivors had moved to the city. The Dominican Friars recovered slowly; in Montpellier, only seven of one hundred forty friars survived. The depopulation caused by the Black Death divided the middle Ages. The central Middle Ages when medieval culture was at its height was followed by the late middle ages which was characterized by reduced population (Knox, “Population†par. 10).
There were short-term political effects from the Black Death but these were eventually sorted out. King Alfonzo XI of Castille died from the Black Death, as did the Queens of Aragon and France. The son of the Byzantine Emperor died. During the Black Death, parliaments were adjourned. In 1348, the Hundred Years’ War was interrupted because so many soldiers succumbed to the Black Death. On a local level the effects were more severe. Entire families of nobles died. Courts closed down and wills could not be probated (Knox, par. 2).
Princess Joan of England, daughter of Edward III was to marry the heir to the Castillian throne. Joan and her entourage stopped at the royal chateau in Bordeaux in 1548, on the way to Castille. Joan, just fifteen years of age, died there, along with her traveling companions, from the Black Death. Much to her father’s dismay, her body was
never recovered. Had this marriage taken place it would have united England, Wales, most of Spain, and much of France (Fumento par. 3).
The Black Death also took the life of Henry of Grosmont, leading to the rise of the House of Lancaster and the War of the Roses. Had Princess Joan and Henry of Grosmont lived, European countries might have different boundaries today (Fumento par. 10).
The Black Death accelerated changes in government. The depopulation caused by the Black Death hastened the laicization of society. With the development of secular schools many, who might have gone into the clergy, went to work for the government instead (Gottfried 144). Many of the new bureaucrats were lawyers who worked out the theory of the state with fixed boundaries. The state was now the highest authority. The Black Death caused a temporary collapse of virtually all governments and those who were quick to recover could expand their power. The Black Death contributed to the rise of a central, royal government because when it changed Europe’s economy, it also changed its tax base. Taxes were more difficult to collect. Though incomes had risen, there were less people to collect from. When attempts to raise taxes were enacted, rebellions occurred (147).
The Black Death caused changes in industry. The workforce was smaller and production was lower. The survivors were anxious to spend their money on luxury goods. The textile industry responded by producing the fine linen and cloth that was in demand. Depopulation was responsible for technological advances. The value and use of windmills and water mills increased. Before the Black Death, fishermen came ashore to salt (preserve) their catch. By 1348, Dutch fishermen perfected methods of salting, drying, and storing their catch onboard. They could stay at sea longer, sail farther, and bring home more fish. There were advances in mining technology as bullion and metal for guns were in demand. New water pumps allowed mines to be dug deeper. The period following the Black Death was one of the most innovative in history (142).
The Black Death meant the end of the existing medical system and the beginning of modern medicine. The old system worked in the high middle ages, an era free of epidemics, but proved inadequate in dealing with the Black Death (104). The old system was based on the theory of humors. The early physicians were poor anatomists, pathologists, and epidemiologists and could do little to treat the Black Death. The Black Death brought about a crisis in medieval medicine leading to professionalism, a rise in the popularity of surgery, and new laws regarding public health and sanitation. The Black Death killed many physicians and this left the medical profession open to new ideas. Anatomy and surgery became important elements of an education in medicine. The emphasis shifted from philosophy to practical physical sciences (118). The scientific method was developed at this time. Medical texts were now written in native languages rather than in Latin. Lay people began to read the texts, as there was an interest in disease and personal health following the Black Death. Medicine was demystified and it’s weaknesses made public. Before the Black Death, hospitals were designed to isolate the ill. After the epidemic, hospitals were committed to cure rather than isolation (120).
The management and organization of hospitals changed as well. They were divided into wards that treated different types of illnesses and injuries. Many hospitals began to add extensive medical libraries and Doctors’ Associations.
The concept of a centrally controlled Board of Health came into being as a result of the Black Death. These Boards monitored doctors in their area, kept an eye on local sanitary conditions, and reported any cases of Black Death (123).
Formal professional codes of ethics for doctors followed the Black Death. These codes held doctors to higher standards of dress and behavior. Medical research did not begin until the sixteenth century, but the foundation for modern medical science was laid immediately following the Black Death (128).
Black Death should be ranked among the greatest biological events in history and a major turning point in western civilization. Spiritual, moral, and, philosophical issues were questioned in the wake of such extreme disaster and the answers were found to be unsatisfactory. The Black Death, despite its devastation, led to profound changes and improvements in society.
This author has a personal interest in the Black Death. She has been infected with HIV for twenty-three years with no disease progression. Genetic research done by the National Institutes of Health has found that this author has a genetic mutation that protects her from HIV (Stanton, par. 12). It has been found that this mutation of the CCR-5 gene also provides protection from the Black Death (Cantor 20). Her European ancestors have passed on this genetic mutation that saved their lives and is saving hers today. This author has seen improvement in the last two decades, but remembers when this modern plague brought shame and stigma to it’s victims. The discrimination directed towards certain groups of people with HIV is reminiscent of the blame placed on the Jews during the Black Death. This author is barred from visiting certain countries because of her HIV status, as the villages and ports banned visitors during the Black Death. Many evangelists have preached that this modern epidemic is a punishment sent by God, as religious zealots during the Black Death did. The difference is that now we have the knowledge and know that there is no need for fear and blame. Have we learned anything from history when three young hemophiliac brothers infected with AIDS are burned out of their home by their neighbors in Arcadia, Florida? The Black Death brought advances in medicine that shifted the focus from fear and isolation to cure and compassion. We would do well to remember this.
Works Cited
Cantor, Norman. In the Wake of the Plague: The Black Death and the World It Made.
New York: The Free Press, 2001
Fumento, Michael. “The Bacterium That Changed History.†Human Events 43 (2001) (14 pars.). (20 May, 2002)
Gottfried, Robert. The Black Death: Natural and Human Disaster in Medieval Europe.
New York: The Free Press, 1983
Knox, Skip. “About the Disease.†History of Western Civilization, The Black Death. August, 1995. (4 pars.). (21 May, 2002)
---. “Persecution of the Jews.†History of Western Civilization, The Black Death. August 1995. (4pars.). (20 May, 2002).
---. “Art.†History of Western Civilization, The Black Death. August 1995. (7pars.). (20 May, 2002).
---. “Population Loss.†History of Western Civilization, The Black Death. August 1995. (10 pars.). < http://history.boisestate.edu/westciv/plague/15.htm > (20 May, 2002).
Nelson, Lynn. “The Great Famine and the Black Death.†Introduction to Medieval History. (20 pars.). < http://www.ukans.edu/kansas /medieval/108/lectures /black_death.html > (23 May, 2002)
Stanton, Barbara. “Mutant Genes and Their Effect on HIV Infection.†Unpublished paper, 1999.
Wild, Ron. “The Black Death.†History Magazine. (17 pars.). (20 May, 2002)
Issues in Media, Literature, and the Arts
Question #1
The tragedy of September 11, 2001 was a form a complex communication and sent a very strong message. The event when seen as a form of communication contained all of the eight necessary elements: a sender, an encoding process, a message, a channel, a decoding process, a receiver, feedback, and noise. The events of September 11th were an effective form of communication, though complex enough that they are still not fully understood.
The sender appears to have been Osama Bin Laden and his Al Qaeda supporters. Initially, the sender was unknown. When the first plane hit the World Trade Center, I assumed it was some sort of horrific accident. When the second plane hit the other tower, it became obvious that this was a premeditated act. But why do such a thing? I am still not sure of the answer.
This was more of a machine-assisted form of communication than face to face. Other than the hijackers, the senders were not in the same physical space as the receivers, making this event a complex rather than simple form of communication.
The encoding process involved the idea of sending a message of disapproval to the United States. Complex planning was involved: using a plane as a weapon, garnering support for the action, entry into the U.S., learning to fly a plane, getting through airport security, and planning four hijackings to take place simultaneously. This extremely intricate process of encoding left the message vulnerable to numerous errors and noise. What if the hijackers had been identified as terrorists before the attack took place? What if they missed the intended targets lessening the impact of the message? What if they
came to admire the U.S. while living here? What if they had not made it through airport security? What if the hijackings were unsuccessful, as happened in one case?
There were a thousand things that could have gone wrong. It is amazing that this message was delivered as smoothly as it was, considering the copious opportunities for error and noise.
The message of this communication is complex. It is one of contempt, hatred, and disrespect towards the United States. Based on the chosen targets, I think they were sending a message of anger at and disapproval of the U.S. Government and our capitalist society. This message was very public and not easily terminated.
The channel was the use of airplanes as weapons in order to cause mass destruction and fear. The plane (channel) that was supposedly heading towards the White House was interrupted. The resulting media coverage was also used as a channel. The channels were easily received but not easily decodable.
The decoding of this message is multifaceted. This message had many receivers and each one decoded it in a different and unique way. I am unsure if I understand the intended message. This message has a different meaning for each of us.
Millions of people worldwide received this message. I don’t think there were any unintended receivers. I believe that the sender intention was for anyone and everyone to receive this message, regardless of age, race, religion, nationality, or political preference. I think that as far as the terrorists were concerned, the more receivers, the better.
Osama Bin Laden, who we now believe orchestrated this message received immediate feedback, considering the vast distance between the sender and receiver,
through the use of the media. The recently released tapes of Osama receiving the news of a successful attack and rejoicing in this news, confirm that he had rapid confirmation via the media that the message had been received. The fact that Americans were suffering and experiencing anxiety and fear was positive immediate feedback for the sender, as this was his intention. The military attack on Afghanistan, the search for Osama and the Al Qaeda, and the fall of the Taliban were delayed negative feedback, but must have been expected by the sender. The ongoing anxiety, fear, expense, and security concerns of the U.S. are positive feedback, as this must have been at least part of his objective.
There was remarkably little noise, considering the complexity of this communication. The failure of the plane that crashed in Pa. to reach its intended target was a form of environmental noise. I don’t think there was any semantic noise: all the receivers got the “just†of the message. In the days immediately following the attack, psychological noise was not a problem. The receivers were exposed to the message whether they chose to be or not. The massive media coverage, water cooler talk, and general awareness of the attack were so vast that it could not realistically be avoided.
The events of September 11th, aside from being an unfathomable tragedy, were also a form of extremely effective communication. The specifics of the message were decoded in many different ways, but the general idea was effectively communicated with a minimal amount of noise. When our grief, anger, fear and anxiety have faded, we would do well to examine the motive behind this appalling message. We believe that our democracy is superior to any other form of government, but we should acknowledge that is is vulnerable to corruption and try to improve this weakness. Our capitalist society
consumes more than any other in the world, yet we are selfish when it comes to thinking globally and being socially responsible. This also needs to be examined and improved. This terrifying communication contained good examples of the eight elements required for communication to take place and will have long term and far reaching effects. Osama Bin Laden met the goal of effective communication. We got the message, even if we are not exactly sure what it is.
Question #2-1
When a hurricane is in the vicinity, I need to know about it. I live just three feet above sea level on the Peace River and have twelve dogs to deal with if evacuation becomes necessary. I rely on the mass media to keep me informed and up to date during times of severe weather.
This time of year, when hurricanes are common, I rely on the media and their role of surveillance warning to keep me apprised of any storm activity that may be coming my way. During this last hurricane scare, CNN aired a program called When the Big One Hits. I don’t care for this sort of sensationalism. I am looking for reliable information that I can use. I have weathered many hurricanes and know the destruction they can cause. I don’t need to watch it on television. I just need to know if it is coming my way, when it is expected, and how severe it is likely to be.
I live in Punta Gorda on the Peace River. A minor tropical depression last year left me with three inches of water throughout the house. It is helpful for me to have advance warning if large amounts of rain are expected. I turn to CNN, The Weather Channel, and the local news to provide me with the information I need to make preparations. If it appears that lots of rain is coming our way, I will get things off the floor, make sure my electrical cords are up and out of the way, and am prepared to turn off the electrical power to the house.
I have twelve dogs, so I cannot just secure my home and go to the closest shelter. They do not allow pets. I don’t know of any motel that would allow twelve dogs either. I am not stubborn enough to refuse to evacuate if it is the intelligent thing to do, so I need to make plans on where and when to go with the dogs, should the need arise. I need to have dog food, water, bowls, leashes, etc. ready if evacuation becomes necessary. The mass media provides me with the reliable information that I need, at least until the National Hurricane Center goes down, which happened during Hurricane Andrew.
I was a Mormon for many years and they encourage every family to keep a years supply of essentials on hand. I do not keep this excessive amount of supplies in the house, but I do have water, food, batteries, and candles on hand (old habits die hard). When severe weather is approaching, I don’t have to rush out for supplies, I don’t panic, and I don’t ignore it. I simply keep abreast of the latest information.
The surveillance warning role of the mass media gives me the information I require when a storm may be coming, so I am better equipped to protect my home and
belongings and make arrangements to evacuate with my dogs if this becomes necessary. When I think about it, this is one of the few needs the mass media fulfills for me.
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