Disease
Diseases
There are four main Diseases in the New World, Big Pox, Frontier Flux, Land Legs, Maroon Fever. Untreated Disease will progressively get worse, filling up your Disease bar, until at Max Disease you will start taking Humour damage and then, if you are Knocked Out you will permanently die.
Pilgrims may not be allowed to enter the Providence Church if they are infected.
Transmission
Humans and animals are believed to acquire Disease by inhalation of bad air. Standing close to another infected pilgrim, or even next to the corpse of a pilgrim who died of Disease, and opening an infected Plague Chest are believed to be ways to contract Disease. Additionally a bite from a Rat can transmit Disease, with each bite increasing it's severity. Additionally Deer Ticks found on the body, and sometimes purposely placed on Criminals in the Stocks will transmit Disease. It is also rumored that the item Cozy Blanket, a gift from the Developers, can transmit Disease when opened.
Signs and Symptoms
With the four Diseases there are four symptoms, but all four diseases will exhibit all four symptoms randomly, but one symptom will be more common than the others. Early in the Disease's progression it may be difficult to tell which Disease has actually been contracted. As time passes, the Disease will become more and more serious, the symptoms occurring more frequently. The worse the Disease gets, though, the easier it is to figure out which symptom is the most common and therefore find the correct cure. [1] This video can help in identifying your symptoms.
Disease Symptom Description Big Pox An imbalance of Yellow Bile, characterized by Coughing. Pilgrims flinch and make a distinct coughing sound when symptom strikes. Frontier Flux An imbalance of Phlegm, characterized by Vomiting. Pilgrims flinch and make a distinct puking sound when symptom strikes. Land Legs An imbalance of Black Bile, characterized by Dizziness. Pilgrims flinch without making a sound when symptom strikes. Maroon Fever An imbalance of Blood, characterized by a Headache. Pilgrims flinch and make a moaning sound when symptom strikes.
Treatment
When a Disease is diagnosed, the disease can be treated with the use of appropriate medication. It may take more than one dose of the medication to cure the Disease, especially if the Disease has progressed or the wrong cure has been taken before hand. Taking the wrong medicine will lower the chance of the right medicine curing the Disease.
Disease Cure Big Pox Drinking Willowbark Tonic Frontier Flux Columbine Paste Land Legs Sniffing Smelling Salts Maroon Fever Applying a Leech to the Torso and letting it drain Blood.
Prevention
In most cases the it is possible to avoid infection simply by not inhaling the bad air. Wearing a Plague Doctor's Masque or Golden Plague Masque greatly reduces the chance of contacting an airborne Disease. Wearing the Store bought Miasma Masque has a 100% effectiveness against contracting airborne Disease. Additionally Drinking Berry Juice will also provide temporary immunity for a period of time.
However, these Masks will not prevent Disease contracted from Rat bites or Deer Ticks.
Concerned pilgrims who are already infected may equip a Silk Hanky in their left hand to avoid spreading the infection others.