The next item is the well-known plague doctor mask, which was bird-like in shape, and had a long beak. Although the hat served a symbolic function, it has been speculated that it may have provided some protection by keeping some bacteria away. This was made of leather and was meant to indicate that its wearer was a doctor. To start, a hat was worn on the plague doctor’s head. L’Orme’s protective suit consists of several elements that are easily recognizable. Special physician clothes for preventing pestilence (Germany, XVII century) at Jena ( CC BY-SA 3.0 ) The man attributed with the invention of this ‘plague suit’ is Charles de l’Orme, the chief physician of three French kings (Henri IV, Louis XIII and Louis XIV ), and was also in the service of the Medici family of Italy. It was only in 1619 that a ‘uniform’ was invented, which became popular amongst plague doctors. Prior to the 17th century, plague doctors wore a variety of protective suits. ( CC BY 4.0 ) Who Invented the Plague Doctor Suit?Īs plague doctors were in contact with victims of such a deadly disease, they were at risk of falling ill themselves, and therefore had to take precautions that would minimize this risk. The Plague that brought down mighty empires is thousands of years older than thoughtĪ physician wearing a seventeenth century plague preventive costume.The Black Death: the Plague that Sowed Terror and Death in Medieval Europe - Part 1.At times, plague doctors were even requested to conduct autopsies, in order to better understand how the plague might be treated. It seems that most plague doctors were occupied with this aspect of their job. Furthermore, plague doctors were often summoned to testify and witness wills of the dead and dying. Plague doctors were also responsible for tallying the number of casualties in logbooks for public record, and documented the last wishes of their patients. In theory, the primary duties of a plague doctor were to treat and cure victims of the plague, and to bury the dead. Plague doctors were public servants hired by villages, towns, or cities when a plague struck. These were European physicians who specialized in treating victims of the plague, the best known example being the Black Death.
The plague doctor is arguably one of the most enigmatic figures to have emerged from the Middle Ages.
But what does it mean? The Various Roles of Plague Doctors While plague doctors have been plying their trade since the Middle Ages, it was only after this period, during the 17th century, that they acquired their creepy trademark costume. Though the image is iconic the relationship may be a little anachronistic. The plague doctor mask is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Black Death.
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