Nadere informatie: Tabel I: Het aantal begravenen per week in Venlo in de dysenterie-periode, augustus-december 1702.
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In 1702. the town of Venlo (province of Limburg), with a mainly catholic population
(95%), was struck by a dy.sentery-epidemic. From the register of deaths of the catholic
parish of St. Martin it appears that 511 people died from August until December of that
year. This was about 10% of the inhabitants.
The epidemic was not limited to Venlo. Research in the registers of deaths in a large
number of parishes in Limburg shows that the disease reigned in the whole of the
province. The epidemic started outside Limburg. In July, dysentery reigned in the
neighbourhood of Nijmegen and the German city of Cleves. In August it spread to the
northern part of Limburg. The next month the middle and southern part of the province
were reached, although the epidemic lost in strength. In most places the disease lasted
until the cold weather of November.
An important factor in the origin of the dysentery-epidemic was the hot, dry summer of
1702. This caused a deterioration of the water-quality. The population was in a poor
physical condition because of food-shortages in the preceding autumn and winter. The
food-situation was worsened by a large concentration of soldiers. In 1702, Limburg was a
major theatre of operations in the War of Spanish Succession. An important factor in the
spreading of the dysentery was the movement of the armies. This movement ran almost
parallel with the spreading of the disease.
A remarkable thing for Venlo was the fact that there, two dysentery-attacks followed one
another. The first was brought about by the above-mentioned causes. The second
probably was the result of a siege which lasted for almost a month. This siege once more
made the inhabitants vulnerable.