... from the Black Sea, past Constantinople and through the Mediterranean. People soon learned of the horror of the disease, and fled the city, thus spreading the disease to other destinations in Europe. It reached Europe's ports first, including Messina, Genoa, Venice, Barcelona, Marseilles, and Valencia. By June of 1348, almost half of Europe was afflicted with the plague. By 1349, the plague had reached almost all of western Europe and half of central Europe. It then spread north to Norway via trade routes. Next, it hit the eastern European countries hard in 1350. Finally, it hit Russia in 1351. Symptoms included high fevers and aching limbs and vomiting of blood. Most characteristic is a swelling of the lymph nodes. These glands can be found in the neck, armpits and groin. The swelling protrudes and is easily visible; its blackish coloring gives the disease its name: the Black Death. ...

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