In film and literature, the placement and history of the plague doctor have been somewhat misinformed, with many thinking it was a medieval figure serving some type of gothic purpose. With plenty of current European towns that take us back to Medieval times, there are many remnants of the Black Death.
In fact, it wasn't a costume - its design had distinct medical reasoning and was believed to protect the wearer in more ways than one. While the allusion conjures that of a raven or predatory bird, the outfit itself serves a far different purpose than just a strange costume. The iconic plague doctor outfit originated around 1619, and the bird-like beak mask served as a chamber for aromatics to protect against disease-laden air.Įveryone seems to have seen some version of the plague doctor: A person dressed in a black cloak with gloves and a long, beak-like mask.
Many women also wore scary plague doctor outfits in the Middle Ages and played an important role in saving lives. Plague doctors were not associated with the Black Death and only came into play centuries later for a different cause.