Along with other nations in Europe, Scotland was not only afflicted by the plague, but also by outbreaks of other contagious diseases such as typhus, syphilis and leprosy.
Plague
The plague first afflicted Scotland in 1349, with further epidemics in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. About a third of the population died in 1349. After 1660 the plague began to disappear from Scotland.
Syphilis
A sexually transmitted disease caused by bacteria, syphilis was first described in Naples in 1494. It spread rapidly through Europe and arrived in Scotland only two years later. Symptoms include sores, skin rashes and growths, and eventually damage to the brain, heart and bones.
Cholera
Cholera is a bacterial infection of the small intestine caused by the consumption of contaminated water or food. Cholera struck Scotland in 1832, and outbreaks recurred in 1848 and 1856.
Leprosy
Leprosy is a chronic bacterial infection producing skin disfigurements of the face and limbs. The disease is said to have been brought to Britain by returning crusaders.