In the midst of the Black Death, a peculiar group emerged who became known as the plague doctors. These figures, often not actual physicians but volunteers or young medical practitioners, undertook a unique mission to combat the devastating disease.
Their lives were marked by isolation. Plague doctors were confined to their stations, only leaving when attending to patients, always under escort to prevent the disease’s spread. This isolation likely contributed to their eccentricity. The iconic plague doctor costume, with its eerie bird-like mask, didn’t appear until 1619, well after the peak of the plague. Charles de Delorme is credited with its creation, but its inspiration remains uncertain.
Each element of the outfit served a purpose: the robes separated them from contaminated air, hats identified them, canes had various functions, and masks filtered out noxious miasmas. Treatments were far from pleasant, ranging from drinking urine to applying arsenic and animal parts.
Bleeding and inducing diarrhea were common practices, though Nostradamus advocated for hygiene and fresh air. In these desperate times, some believed God sent the plague as punishment, leading to self-flagellation and unjust blame on Jewish and Muslim communities. The only remedy for the Black Death was time.
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Top image: Plague doctor. Source: Worldillustrator / Adobe Stock.
