While most of the outfit makes sense with its full coverings and thick material, it's the mask that many have questioned. Along with the illustration, it was detailed how each part was intended to protect the wearer from illness. Gerhart Altzenbach, a German engraver during the mid-1600s, created the first illustration of the plague doctor's uniform. Women helped, too: Female plague doctors would wear the often intimidating outfits that their male counterparts did while treating patients.Ten women in total learned how to treat plague patients at the Arte dei Medici e degli Speziali in Florence. Monna Neccia and Monica Lacopa were two highly influential female plague doctors at that time who saved countless lives. That has made historians scratch their heads as to who truly did what during this awful period. One reason we don't often hear about this is the distinction between female doctors and healers during the Middle Ages is very blurred. Moreover, the scary-looking Plague Doctor ensembles were also worn by women, mostly Italian and Jewish-origin health professionals. Although they weren't as heavily politicized and talked about in history books, women doctors were an integral part of stopping the Black Plague from killing off a whole continent. Something that might surprise people is that during the Middle Ages, many female plague doctors worked to save patients. In reality, the figure was not believed to be associated with the Black Death at all but rather came into play centuries later for a different cause.Ī painting of the Black Death and its affects on Middle Age Europe In film and literature, the placement and history of the plague doctor have been somewhat misinformed, with many thinking it was a medieval figure serving some type of gothic purpose. With plenty of current European towns that take us back to Medieval times, there are many remnants of the Black Death. In fact, it wasn't a costume - its design had distinct medical reasoning and was believed to protect the wearer in more ways than one. While the allusion conjures that of a raven or predatory bird, the outfit itself serves a far different purpose than just a strange costume. The iconic plague doctor outfit originated around 1619, and the bird-like beak mask served as a chamber for aromatics to protect against disease-laden air.Įveryone seems to have seen some version of the plague doctor: A person dressed in a black cloak with gloves and a long, beak-like mask. ![]() Many women also wore scary plague doctor outfits in the Middle Ages and played an important role in saving lives. Plague doctors were not associated with the Black Death and only came into play centuries later for a different cause.
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