[The plague as a divine scourge. Plague infections in Monferrato and particularly the epidemic of 1522-1530 in Casale, the capital].

Plaque mortality in the Monferrato area, especially in the first half of the 16th century, is discussed. The scourge struck a population that was prey to marauding soldiers from all the armies that looked at the Monferrato area as easy plunder. Promiscuity and the poor living conditions of the time did not permit effective defence against epidemic infections and the misery in which the population lived made contagion easy. One interesting element is the resort to fire to destroy everything infected or suspected to be so as the only possibility of defence as rules of hygiene were totally lacking.