The outbreaks of plague that devastated London in the 1500s and 1600s were but one of many threats to life and health during the era of William Shakespeare.
In the video linked here, medical historical librarian Melissa Grafe of Yale School of Medicine talks about what doctors and scholars believed at that time, drawing on an extensive exhibit of English medical works from Shakespeare's lifetime.
Works in the exhibit, part of a semester-long celebration of Shakespeare at Yale, describe medical topics that appeared in Shakespeare's plays, highlighting the interplay between medicine and drama. This exhibit highlights themes from Shakespeare's works, such as plague, midwifery, domestic medicine, herbals, astrological medicine, surgery, and other medical topics from the time period.