Jon Bang Ploug
@jonploug.bsky.social
Historian. Studying historical epidemics & pathology collections
at Roskilde University and PandemiX (Center of Excellence) in Denmark.
at Roskilde University and PandemiX (Center of Excellence) in Denmark.
Translating passages from the physician, Isbrand van Diemerbroeck (1609-74) work "On the Plague"
Very interesting work, and he writes very well.
See for yourself:
Very interesting work, and he writes very well.
See for yourself:
November 19, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Translating passages from the physician, Isbrand van Diemerbroeck (1609-74) work "On the Plague"
Very interesting work, and he writes very well.
See for yourself:
Very interesting work, and he writes very well.
See for yourself:
Jeg må sige, at jeg er bekymret for mine døtres fremtid i en by, hvor Enhedslisten agerer nyttige idioter for patriarkatet. Hvorfor i alverden stemte de for kønsopdelte foredragsarrangementer i Kbh!?
November 15, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Jeg må sige, at jeg er bekymret for mine døtres fremtid i en by, hvor Enhedslisten agerer nyttige idioter for patriarkatet. Hvorfor i alverden stemte de for kønsopdelte foredragsarrangementer i Kbh!?
I don't understand. Thousands of fascinating discoveries like this have been made in Denmark due to metal detecting. No archaeologist would have uncovered these, as they are often found on private fields. They would have been hidden forever.
November 14, 2025 at 8:22 AM
I don't understand. Thousands of fascinating discoveries like this have been made in Denmark due to metal detecting. No archaeologist would have uncovered these, as they are often found on private fields. They would have been hidden forever.
But this fragment from Lejre is even more impressive and like the Sutton Hoo helmet in style.
I couldnt take a good photo, so here from a press release.
I couldnt take a good photo, so here from a press release.
October 3, 2025 at 7:06 AM
But this fragment from Lejre is even more impressive and like the Sutton Hoo helmet in style.
I couldnt take a good photo, so here from a press release.
I couldnt take a good photo, so here from a press release.
I recently went to Lejre in DK, where they have this Gevninge helmet fragment on display. Wonder how the rest would have looked.
October 3, 2025 at 7:04 AM
I recently went to Lejre in DK, where they have this Gevninge helmet fragment on display. Wonder how the rest would have looked.
"The fabled Ghoul was a delicate-minded gentleman, compared to an old, hardened sexton."
Interesting and humoristic but also pretty macrabe description of the work of the old city sexton/gravedigger.
It must qualify as one of the worst jobs in history.
Interesting and humoristic but also pretty macrabe description of the work of the old city sexton/gravedigger.
It must qualify as one of the worst jobs in history.
October 2, 2025 at 11:42 AM
"The fabled Ghoul was a delicate-minded gentleman, compared to an old, hardened sexton."
Interesting and humoristic but also pretty macrabe description of the work of the old city sexton/gravedigger.
It must qualify as one of the worst jobs in history.
Interesting and humoristic but also pretty macrabe description of the work of the old city sexton/gravedigger.
It must qualify as one of the worst jobs in history.
Le Chat by Mistral is, in fact, the best large language model (LLM) for performing complex optical character recognition (OCR) of numbers out of the box with little prompting.
This has significant potential. Millions of documents containg numerical data are trapped in documents.
This has significant potential. Millions of documents containg numerical data are trapped in documents.
September 29, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Le Chat by Mistral is, in fact, the best large language model (LLM) for performing complex optical character recognition (OCR) of numbers out of the box with little prompting.
This has significant potential. Millions of documents containg numerical data are trapped in documents.
This has significant potential. Millions of documents containg numerical data are trapped in documents.
Great read!
In DK, we have a mysterious cholera bottle with a text in Swedish that tells: "Intestinal secretion from a patient with advanced cholera, October 1853 - got well."
1853 is very early for anyone to be looking for the infectious agent, and yes, there must have been more than Koch/Pasteur
In DK, we have a mysterious cholera bottle with a text in Swedish that tells: "Intestinal secretion from a patient with advanced cholera, October 1853 - got well."
1853 is very early for anyone to be looking for the infectious agent, and yes, there must have been more than Koch/Pasteur
September 13, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Great read!
In DK, we have a mysterious cholera bottle with a text in Swedish that tells: "Intestinal secretion from a patient with advanced cholera, October 1853 - got well."
1853 is very early for anyone to be looking for the infectious agent, and yes, there must have been more than Koch/Pasteur
In DK, we have a mysterious cholera bottle with a text in Swedish that tells: "Intestinal secretion from a patient with advanced cholera, October 1853 - got well."
1853 is very early for anyone to be looking for the infectious agent, and yes, there must have been more than Koch/Pasteur
Mild viruses pose a greater pandemic threat than deadly ones. We would never allow a Ebola-like outbreak to become a true pandemic. Its lethality would terrify us into swift, decisive action.
(This movie, "Outbreak," gave us precisely this false understanding of what the real threat is.)
(This movie, "Outbreak," gave us precisely this false understanding of what the real threat is.)
August 29, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Mild viruses pose a greater pandemic threat than deadly ones. We would never allow a Ebola-like outbreak to become a true pandemic. Its lethality would terrify us into swift, decisive action.
(This movie, "Outbreak," gave us precisely this false understanding of what the real threat is.)
(This movie, "Outbreak," gave us precisely this false understanding of what the real threat is.)
The Indian Plague Commission,
der fra 1898 frem opdagede den for pesten så vigtige mekanisme, at rottelopper tarm blokeres af pestbakterien, og at rotter var vigtige i de udbrud, som de var midt i.
MEN det var en fejl, at de gjorde deres oplevelser generelle.
Dette var forkert:
der fra 1898 frem opdagede den for pesten så vigtige mekanisme, at rottelopper tarm blokeres af pestbakterien, og at rotter var vigtige i de udbrud, som de var midt i.
MEN det var en fejl, at de gjorde deres oplevelser generelle.
Dette var forkert:
July 21, 2025 at 7:50 AM
The Indian Plague Commission,
der fra 1898 frem opdagede den for pesten så vigtige mekanisme, at rottelopper tarm blokeres af pestbakterien, og at rotter var vigtige i de udbrud, som de var midt i.
MEN det var en fejl, at de gjorde deres oplevelser generelle.
Dette var forkert:
der fra 1898 frem opdagede den for pesten så vigtige mekanisme, at rottelopper tarm blokeres af pestbakterien, og at rotter var vigtige i de udbrud, som de var midt i.
MEN det var en fejl, at de gjorde deres oplevelser generelle.
Dette var forkert:
I don't think we understand the history of epidemics. We assume infectious diseases were always a constant threat, but this isn't true. New pathogens emerged and joined the existing pool of epidemic diseases. When Bruegel completed this work in 1562, the world was experiencing unprecedented chaos.
June 11, 2025 at 2:05 PM
I don't think we understand the history of epidemics. We assume infectious diseases were always a constant threat, but this isn't true. New pathogens emerged and joined the existing pool of epidemic diseases. When Bruegel completed this work in 1562, the world was experiencing unprecedented chaos.
My observation comes from old Danish farmsteads, where a "gruekedel" – a large, often built-in cauldron – was used specifically for heating great quantities of water for laundry. But I haven't seen any of these going back before the 18th centery. So, 1/2
May 25, 2025 at 8:56 AM
My observation comes from old Danish farmsteads, where a "gruekedel" – a large, often built-in cauldron – was used specifically for heating great quantities of water for laundry. But I haven't seen any of these going back before the 18th centery. So, 1/2
De første kiruger: "Her aarelades, Igler og Blodkopper paasættes, Lavrement gives, Ringe indsættes i ørene, Ligtorne og indgroede Negle helbredes, samt alt til Barberfaget henhørende udføres."
Fra Borgergade. Københavns Museum.
Fra Borgergade. Københavns Museum.
May 21, 2025 at 10:13 AM
De første kiruger: "Her aarelades, Igler og Blodkopper paasættes, Lavrement gives, Ringe indsættes i ørene, Ligtorne og indgroede Negle helbredes, samt alt til Barberfaget henhørende udføres."
Fra Borgergade. Københavns Museum.
Fra Borgergade. Københavns Museum.
Yes, it must be part of being human, unfortunately. Just, ask a historian
May 14, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Yes, it must be part of being human, unfortunately. Just, ask a historian
80 years ago, a truly vile medical paradigm was defeated. Nazi medicine. "a critical paradigm shift away from the traditional Hippocratic methods focusing on the patient towards one in which the doctor’s foremost responsibility was to care for society (the "Volk"). 1/4
May 4, 2025 at 8:53 AM
80 years ago, a truly vile medical paradigm was defeated. Nazi medicine. "a critical paradigm shift away from the traditional Hippocratic methods focusing on the patient towards one in which the doctor’s foremost responsibility was to care for society (the "Volk"). 1/4
I was reminded of seeing lots of dogs and raccoon dogs on old images from behind the infamous Dazhong Livestock Game stall at the Huanan seafood market on "Babarelephant's" map
It makes sense that both dogs and raccoon dogs got infected there.
babarlelephant.free-hoster.net/visiting-the...
It makes sense that both dogs and raccoon dogs got infected there.
babarlelephant.free-hoster.net/visiting-the...
May 1, 2025 at 8:06 AM
I was reminded of seeing lots of dogs and raccoon dogs on old images from behind the infamous Dazhong Livestock Game stall at the Huanan seafood market on "Babarelephant's" map
It makes sense that both dogs and raccoon dogs got infected there.
babarlelephant.free-hoster.net/visiting-the...
It makes sense that both dogs and raccoon dogs got infected there.
babarlelephant.free-hoster.net/visiting-the...
Asymptomatic infections consistently appears as the most insidious and challenging modes of transmission, whether during former outbreaks of plague, of Cholera and now of covid-19.
"A treatise of the plague: containing .. an account of the plague at Aleppo, 1762" Russel Patrick.
"A treatise of the plague: containing .. an account of the plague at Aleppo, 1762" Russel Patrick.
April 28, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Asymptomatic infections consistently appears as the most insidious and challenging modes of transmission, whether during former outbreaks of plague, of Cholera and now of covid-19.
"A treatise of the plague: containing .. an account of the plague at Aleppo, 1762" Russel Patrick.
"A treatise of the plague: containing .. an account of the plague at Aleppo, 1762" Russel Patrick.
Great thread. I believe that a SC2 jump from dogs is plausible. The concept of 'week dogs' (market dogs so sick they often die within days) illustrates the health risks. It's also notable that the Erqiao market in Wuhan falls within the 'dark spot' shown on the map
mp.weixin.qq.com/s?src=11&tim...
mp.weixin.qq.com/s?src=11&tim...
April 12, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Great thread. I believe that a SC2 jump from dogs is plausible. The concept of 'week dogs' (market dogs so sick they often die within days) illustrates the health risks. It's also notable that the Erqiao market in Wuhan falls within the 'dark spot' shown on the map
mp.weixin.qq.com/s?src=11&tim...
mp.weixin.qq.com/s?src=11&tim...
While exploring the Scottish Enlightenment and its influence on human progress and prosperity, it's striking to realize that Trump and many of his fellow Republicans seem unaware of Adam Smith and The Wealth of Nations—a book that stands among the most influential ever written.
April 3, 2025 at 11:35 AM
While exploring the Scottish Enlightenment and its influence on human progress and prosperity, it's striking to realize that Trump and many of his fellow Republicans seem unaware of Adam Smith and The Wealth of Nations—a book that stands among the most influential ever written.
Interesting. It must have been inspirered by the Huns cf. attached.
I have often thought that the influence of the Huns in Scandinavia could have been much greater than what we usually think.
www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/...
I have often thought that the influence of the Huns in Scandinavia could have been much greater than what we usually think.
www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/...
March 5, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Interesting. It must have been inspirered by the Huns cf. attached.
I have often thought that the influence of the Huns in Scandinavia could have been much greater than what we usually think.
www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/...
I have often thought that the influence of the Huns in Scandinavia could have been much greater than what we usually think.
www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/...
So, conducting experiments with exotic coronaviruses in BSL-2 settings is considered acceptable, probably because they only cause mild colds in scientists—despite having led to a pandemic that killed millions. Yet, for tuberculosis, which is widespread, BSL-3 is required!
"Hey Siri, what is bias?"
"Hey Siri, what is bias?"
February 28, 2025 at 12:39 PM
So, conducting experiments with exotic coronaviruses in BSL-2 settings is considered acceptable, probably because they only cause mild colds in scientists—despite having led to a pandemic that killed millions. Yet, for tuberculosis, which is widespread, BSL-3 is required!
"Hey Siri, what is bias?"
"Hey Siri, what is bias?"
Two troubling quotes:
The new Cell paper with the irresponsible lab-work:
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
The German source for the quote by Drosten:
taz.de/Christian-Dr...
The new Cell paper with the irresponsible lab-work:
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
The German source for the quote by Drosten:
taz.de/Christian-Dr...
February 27, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Two troubling quotes:
The new Cell paper with the irresponsible lab-work:
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
The German source for the quote by Drosten:
taz.de/Christian-Dr...
The new Cell paper with the irresponsible lab-work:
www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
The German source for the quote by Drosten:
taz.de/Christian-Dr...
Den får jo insinueret det, hvilket er kendetegnende for misinformation.
DR fortsætter med selv at blande de to ting sammen på deres egen hjemmeside.
bsky.app/profile/m-b-...
DR fortsætter med selv at blande de to ting sammen på deres egen hjemmeside.
bsky.app/profile/m-b-...
February 13, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Den får jo insinueret det, hvilket er kendetegnende for misinformation.
DR fortsætter med selv at blande de to ting sammen på deres egen hjemmeside.
bsky.app/profile/m-b-...
DR fortsætter med selv at blande de to ting sammen på deres egen hjemmeside.
bsky.app/profile/m-b-...
London 1748-58 - Just before before vaccines, modern medicine and general improvements in hygiene and wealth.
February 8, 2025 at 12:35 PM
London 1748-58 - Just before before vaccines, modern medicine and general improvements in hygiene and wealth.
Some criticize Christmas for becoming too capitalistic, but why not embrace it?
I, as a historian agree 100% (unironically) with Barack Obama, who said:
“Capitalism has been the greatest driver of prosperity.”
Is prosperity and all its benefits not worth celebrating?
I, as a historian agree 100% (unironically) with Barack Obama, who said:
“Capitalism has been the greatest driver of prosperity.”
Is prosperity and all its benefits not worth celebrating?
December 24, 2024 at 11:40 AM
Some criticize Christmas for becoming too capitalistic, but why not embrace it?
I, as a historian agree 100% (unironically) with Barack Obama, who said:
“Capitalism has been the greatest driver of prosperity.”
Is prosperity and all its benefits not worth celebrating?
I, as a historian agree 100% (unironically) with Barack Obama, who said:
“Capitalism has been the greatest driver of prosperity.”
Is prosperity and all its benefits not worth celebrating?