Medico Della Peste (The Plague Doctor)

After a few days of debating a topic, my interest was finally piqued while watching an episode of "Ghost Adventures". Set in Italy, the show was investigating an island where plague victims were taken to die.
First, I was interested because of the basic topic, the plague, which was the topic I had chosen for my critical book review. Second, I have a love for Italy, and third, I was interested to know more about the masks they showcased on the TV show.

The masks were very creepy, and if you have ever seen a carnival festival (maybe depicted on T.V, or a video game) you might recognize it. This mask in particular resembled a bird. A typical face covering accented with a long beak.

Here is a good picture:
Click me!

Thought of by French physician Charles de Lorme in order to ward off the contagion, the mask originally had spectacles in order to protect the eyes, and the long beak was stuffed with aromatic herbs, in order to ward off the bad scents.

Parallel to this, in the book I read for my critical book review "The Black Death: A Natural and Human Disaster in Medieval Europe", explains the use of herbs during the plague. It was believed that the bad air, or odor from the plague and dead unburied bodies would also hold the contagion, and breathing good smells would keep that away, so many families burned incense, and used herbs to help 'ward off' the plague.

In the picture posted above, you can also see a small picture of the outfit worn with the mask in the background. This is thought of as a primitive form of a hazardous material suit. Doctors wore a long leather or wax-like material overcoat, leather boots, and a shirt that covered their neck or a head covering in order to expose the least amount of skin possible. As well as gloves, the doctors also used a cane to push away victims who came to close to them, and a hat to show they were a doctor.

This website used for information, pointed out something I hadn't thought of. It is wondered how often these suits were actually worn, since it is known that many doctors fled the areas, or refused to help for fear of being infected themselves.

Today, you can buy these mask replicas in both traditional white style as used during times of the plague, or you can get something with more flair, painted for decoration or costuming; Although now, knowing the history behind the masks, I find them no longer festive, but creepy and macabre.

These are the links for information I used in my post

Wikipedia

The Plague Doctor

Picture of the Mask