The Plague Doctor

Sometime in the early 1300s, The Black Death arrived to Europe from the East. It had began a century before in the lungs of Chinese marmots and then spread out through fleas to others of the mammal population, including humans. It spread all over Europe very quickly with the help of medieval ships and their rat-swarming holds, preferring rodent-dwelling fleas as their means of travel. Hungry fleas subsequently transmitted the infection to humans. As a result, in short time the plague ravaged every single country of Western Europe; even Greenland was not left aside. Plague was moving at horse’s speed – the most common way of transportation of those times. No one was insured against plague. The disease killed French King Louis IX, the daughter of Louis X, Jeanne Navarre, and other outstanding figures. It claimed 30-60% of Europe's population during its reign.

Medieval doctors could not diagnose the disease properly at the times. Not seeing the relationship between plague and flea bites, they swiftly ordered the culling of all dogs and cats. This was a huge mistake since it left no predators to keep the rats in check, and the plague numbers exploded. At the time, it was generally believed that the disease was transmitted through a physical contact, via clothes and bed linen, even through the air itself.

The most infernal costume of the Middle Ages, the Plague Doctor costume, was constructed with these things in mind. Doctors were supposed to don these costumes to visit their plague patients. The mask of the plague doctor – the bird beak and the leather hat – was actually a protective device to save the doctor from the unbearable infected stench of rotting flesh. The beak was filled with medical herbs to ease the breathing process. The mask had two vent holes and glass inserts to protect the eyes. The doctor was also wearing a long waxed raincoat and leather or thick fabric clothes to help him avoid flea bites and physical contacts with patients.

Michel de Nostredame was probably the most renowned Plague Doctor – he is widely known as Nostradamus. He recommended his patients to drink only boiled water, to sleep in clean beds and to leave infected towns as soon as it was possible.