![]() It’s worth noting that the effectiveness of the plague doctors’ methods has been questioned by modern medical experts, who argue that the herbs and spices in the masks would not have been effective in preventing the spread of the disease. Nevertheless, their work was important in the fight against the bubonic plague, and they played a significant role in the medical history of Elizabethan England. They would often be accompanied by “body collectors” who would help them remove the dead from homes and streets.ĭespite their efforts, the plague doctors were not always successful in preventing the spread of the disease, and many of them also succumbed to the illness themselves. They were responsible for identifying and isolating those who had been infected, as well as disposing of the bodies of those who had died from the disease. The role of the plague doctor was not just to treat the sick, but also to try to prevent the spread of the disease. The staff was also used to point out areas that needed to be disinfected or to lift clothing or bedding without touching them. The plague doctors were often seen carrying a staff, which was used to examine patients without touching them directly, as physical contact was thought to increase the risk of contracting the disease. The mask was designed to protect the doctor from the foul-smelling air that was thought to carry the disease. They also wore a mask with a beak-like protrusion that was filled with herbs, spices, and other aromatic substances, such as dried flowers, vinegar, or even a sponge soaked in vinegar. ![]() Plague doctors wore distinctive outfits that included a long, black coat made of waxed fabric or leather, gloves, and a wide-brimmed hat. However, it is important to note that the term “plague doctor” was not commonly used during the Elizabethan era, and the practitioners who fulfilled this role were often referred to as “pestilence doctors” or “searchers.” These were physicians who were tasked with treating those who had contracted the disease, but also with trying to prevent its spread. So, for all the bizarreness of the ‘beak doctor’ costume, it does make sense given the theories of the time.D uring the bubonic plague outbreaks in Elizabethan England, the role of the “plague doctor” emerged. They could prod or move clothing about from further than at arm’s length. A final practical use a doctor had for a cane was to keep a patient (and, during the plague, suspected plague carriers in the street) at a distance. Such canes could also be a vessel for a pomander within the handle. If they could afford a good cane they were clearly successful. The final element a plague doctor’s costume is given in the poem as:įor centuries a cane was a symbolic accoutrement for a physician – a well-crafted cane, with a fancy handle would give a patient confidence in the abilities of their doctor. The oiled and waxed, often floor-length coats worn by the doctors, along with hoods, hats and gloves, would have been effective barriers against the biting of fleas, as well as being easier to wipe clean. We know that the disease was spread so virulently by fleas, borne on rats (recent reports suggest that gerbils were the original carriers in Asia) that flourished in what was described as London’s ‘most beastly durtie streets’. The rest of the costume was, ironically, more likely to be effective during the Great Plague of 1665. They could be stuffed with herbs and good smells to combat the disease in the air. How would you do this? Have nice smells to hand – or, rather, to nose! Thus the doctors wore beak-like masks. This theory was called miasma theory.Īvoiding breathing in this disease-bearing stench was vital. If you walked into a bad-smelling room the foulness was caused by the presence of disease – the air was polluted. There was a longstanding belief that diseases travelled through the air. So what was the thinking behind an outfit that might actually frighten the more delicate patient?
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