HISTORY ON THE BLACK DEATH AND THE BUBONIC PLAGUE. “If left untreated, a bubonic plague infection can kill a person in as little as two days, either by causing lymph nodes to burst and flood the bloodstream, or by attacking lung tissue to cause pneumonia. Most often, the disease is spreads by fleas that are carried around by rodents. In either case, the bacteria’s genetic signatures can be found in bones long after a victim dies.”

UPDATE: Reader Debbie Eberts writes: “Glenn, I’m a huge proponent of vaccinations. If there’s a vaccine for it, I want it. There actually is a plague vaccine, but it’s nearly impossible to get it in the US right now. But, the people of Knoxville can be plague vaccine guinea pigs! On the one hand, it’s great that a new vaccine is available. On the other hand, we may need the plague vaccine again? Yikes!” Yeah, I heard a radio spot for the vaccine trial not long ago.