Plague Doctor with Mask face covering at Scottish Homecoming Event. The masked plague doctor's costume was worn by a medical practitioner to protect him or her from airborne diseases. Originating in the 17th century, consisted of an ankle length overcoat and a bird-like beak mask often filled with sweet or strong smelling substances (commonly lavender), along with gloves, boots, a wide-brimmed hat, and an outer over-clothing garment.
A plague doctor (Italian: physici epidemeie, Dutch: pestmeester, German: Pestarzt), was a special medical physician of the Middle Ages who saw those who had the bubonic plague. They were specifically hired by towns that had many plague victims in times of plague epidemics. Since the city was paying their salary they treated everyone, the rich and the poor. They were not normally professionally trained experienced physicians or surgeons, and often were second rate doctors not able to otherwise run a successful medical business or young physicians just out of school trying to get a medical business going. They were not otherwise a general practitioner or “family doctor”. Plague doctors by their covenant treated only plague patients and were known as municipal or “community plague doctors” , whereas “general practitioners” were separate doctors and both might be in the same European city or town at the same time. The beak they had was a filter for what they believed to be bad, infected France and the Netherlands plague doctors many times didn’t have any medical training and were referred to as “empirics” – and even in one case he was just a fruit-seller beforehand. Being a medieval plague doctor was unpleasant, risky, and difficult. The chances of survival in times of a plague epidemic were slim. Because of the dangers and difficulties involved, plague doctors were very hard to find. The mask had glass openings in the eyes and a curved beak shaped like that of a bird. Straps held the beak in front of the doctor's nose.[3] The mask had two small nose holes and was a type of respirator which contained aromatic items.[4] The beak could hold dried flowers (including roses and carnations), herbs (including mint), spices, camphor, or a vinegar sponge. The purpose of the mask was to keep away bad smells, which were thought to be the principal cause of the disease in the miasma theory of infection, before it was disproved by germ theory.
Size: 3600px × 2400px
Location: Ardesier, Invernesshire, UK
Photo credit: © MediaWorldImages / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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