Why does the plague doctors portrayed in any movie or photos wore mask with beaks like a Crow?
In: Technology
Back during the Bubonic plague, people believed that the plague was caused by “Bad Air,” (rather than fleas from black rats) so those beaks were stuffed with herbs and sweet smelling flowers to ward of the bad air to protect the doctors around plagued victims.
What is interesting, though, with the mask and beak, they also wore lightly waxed clothing that covered their entire bodies, which did actually protect them somewhat from catching the plague, similar to protective equipment today, it just wasn’t for the reasons they thought
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