![]() ![]() 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. In modern-day, it can be seen throughout Italy during the famous Carnivale celebration as well as having become a well-known character in theatre from the 17th century on.The plague doctor mask is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Black Death. This new illustration of the classic plague doctor is one that influenced much of media today, and it made an impact on the reputation of plague doctors for centuries after. In addition to this accusation, the drawing was exaggerated to include claw-like gloves as well as a stick the doctor carried, which had a bat-winged hourglass sitting atop of it. In this version, the doctor was referred to as 'Doctor Schnabel von Rom.' When translated, this means 'Doctor Beaky from Rome.' This engraving was a near duplicate of Altzenbach's but rather than speaking highly of the outfit and the doctor, the engraving insinuated that the doctor, 'does nothing but terrify people and take money from the dead and dying,' according to LiveScience. During the same year that the plague doctor's outfit was first illustrated with a detailed description, another engraver by the name of Paulus Fürst created a satirical version of the outfit. There was some speculation, however, from those who believed that the outfit was far more of a show than a result of medical science. ![]() Related: You Can Visit Framlingham Castle, Where 'Bloody Mary' Was Crowned Queen Before modern medicine, it was believed that these aromatics in the front of the mask would prevent the wearer from breathing in what was referred to as 'pestilential miasma,' otherwise known as disease-laden air. While quite startling upon the first appearance, this extra room in the front of the mask served as a chamber for aromatics. The mask itself was quite tight-fitting and the 'beak' measured to roughly six inches long. Why a bird-like beak? What was the purpose of covering the doctor's entire face? According to literary accounts, the beak did actually serve a purpose. 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, exactly, each part was intended to protect the wearer from illness. ![]() Gerhart Altzenbach, who was a German engraver during the mid-1600s, was responsible for creating the first illustration of the plague doctor's uniform. ![]()
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