Plague Doctor Costume – Clothing Worn by Plague Doctors
Plague Doctor Costume
If you have already read the Black Death story, you will know that the doctors responsible for treating the plague patients wore specially designed suits. There has been much talk about these costumes on the internet and we want to clarify some points:
Why a plague doctor’s costume?
The Black Death pandemic was spreading rapidly in all corners of all European countries. Nothing and no one could stop the Yersinia pestis, and they did not know how it could expand so quickly. One of the most popular theories at the time was the miasma theory, based on the idea that the Black Death was transmitted by air, known as “Bad Air” or “Night Air”, and through physical contact.
The sick people fell in the streets, and no one helped them because of the fear of being infected. It was then that the doctors decided to take action, developing a totally hermetic costume to avoid the contagion and be able to help the sick people. The invention of this costume is attributed to Charles de L’Orme, who, allegedly, was the first to wear this custome in 1619 in Paris, and later his idea spread throughout the rest of Europe.
This hermetic suit prevented the physical contact thanks to gloves and a cane; and filtered the Bad Air thanks to air purifying herbs located near the nose and the mouth.
It was many years later when it was discovered that the Black Death was not transmitted by air or physical contact, but through the bites of fleas and rats (Germ theory of disease). Although the plague doctor’s costume was designed to prevent Bad Air, they actually also managed to avoid flea bites, so this worked well.
How is a plague doctor costume?
1841, Nijmegen, Netherlands. Treatise on the Plague by Jean-Jacques Manget
Caricature of a doctor of plague of Marseilles, France
Paul Fürst, engraving, c. 1721, of a plague doctor of Marseilles, introduced as Dr. Beaky of Rome
Plague doctor costume from Germany (seventeenth century).
The first thing to say is that there is no a “official” plague doctor outfit. Depending on the country and region, doctors could use different types of costumes with different accessories. For example the popular costume in Germany was totally different from the one used in the United Kingdom, or in Spain, Italy or China. However, there are some common elements in all of them:
Starting from head to toe:
Hat:
The hat was used to cover the head and prevent the contagion. It was important that it was wide-brimmed, because this characteristic indicated the profession of the Plague Doctor. The hats of course were of tanned leather and were tied tightly with leather straps.
Mask:
The mask is the most characteristic element of a Plague Doctor. It was imperative to avoid breathing the Bad Air and being infected by the Black Death. It was entirely made of leather, except for the eyepieces which were made of glass; although waxed cloth masks were used in some regions due to poor economy.
In the area of the nose, the mask had a triangular cavity similar to the shape of a bird’s beak. The beak was fitted with leather straps, just like the mask itself. This cavity had two small breathing holes, and to filter the air was put in the cavity different aromatic herbs, dried flowers, spices, drugs, vinegar sponge, or anything that filtered the Bad Air and prevented to smell the sick. These aromatic products were also impregnated throughout the costume, the robe and the trousers. Some of the aromatic substances were ambergris, mint leaves, liquidambar orientalis, myrrh, laudanum, rose petals, camphor and clove.
Tunic & Blouse:
The tunic was made of thick waxed-canvas, and should be long, from the neck to the ankle; and without opening in front. Dark colors (mainly black) were used to hide blood stains, vomiting and mud.
Under the tunic, the Plague Doctors wore a thin leather blouse with short sleeves, always tucked in the pants to make it more hermetic.
Gloves:
The gloves, also made of waxed leather, were essential to avoid contact with the sick. They had to be long to place them over the sleeves of the tunic. Before starting a workday, doctors had to make sure that the gloves didn’t have any holes or fissure through which miasmatic Bad Air could enter.
Staff topper:
The wooden canes were used to prevent physical contact with patients of the Black Death. Thanks to the cane they could examine the patients without touching them, turning them over, pointing out the affected areas, helping them to undress if necessary, or even using them to check their pulse. The canes were also used to keep people away or prevent closeness to the doctor. Sometimes the sick people rushed to the Plague Doctor to ask for help, so it was necessary to have a good wooden cane to prevent them from touching the doctor. Depending on the country, doctors used smaller or longer canes, but usually always made of wood.
It is known that, unfortunately, in some more religious regions doctors used the cane also to beat patients and that they repented of their sins; Many people of this century believed that the Black Death was a punishment from God and the sick themselves asked to be beaten as part of their repentance.
The canes were adorned at one end with a winged hourglass, which refers to the swift passage of time: Tempus Fugit.
Trousers:
The trousers or leggings were made of thick waxed cloth, like the tunic. It was placed above the blouse and tied to the boots, preventing the entry of Bad Air. The trousers always had a belt where to hook the necessary tools for the plague doctors: Different bags with soothing, disinfectant, healing or aromatic products to apply to the sick.
Boots:
Plague doctors used high boots, usually made of goat leather or Moroccan leather. The boots were tied to the pants so that the skin was not exposed at any time.
How useful were the plague doctor’s costumes?
The idea of plague doctor costumes is attributed to Charles de L’Orme, inspired by the armor of the soldiers, which protected the entire body, from the head to the feet. He developed a suit that would protect the doctor in the same way, from the head to the feet, against the miasmatic Bad Air.
Plague doctor costumes must protect the doctor’s entire body, avoiding the contact of the skin with the Bad Air to prevent being infected by the Black Death.
The mask also prevented the doctor from smelling the rot and putrefaction of the infected people, thanks to the aromatic products contained in the bird’s beak-shaped cavity of the mask. Often they used these aromatics to spray them all over the plague doctor’s costume.
Years later, in 1880, the Germ Theory was developed, where it showed that the Black Death was not infected by the Bad Air, but through microorganisms pierced by the bite of fleas and rats. From that moment, this costume was no longer recommended, although some plague doctors continued to wear it until the end of the pandemic, for fear that this last theory would not be accurate.
i would sit on that all day long
i sometimes get my husband to put the mask on then i lube it up and then i sit on it slowly and let it go deep in mas ass hole and bounce up and down and once after i came up off it i did a fat shit on his face.
i would use that mask as a dildo
ballz
bigg black ballz
tf
SPIDER MANNNN
i know you’re here brett, i know you are 🙂
monday, april 19, 2021, 1:57 pm
Idk who this acorn kid is or how they knew I’d be here °-°
no u aint
Do not be afraid. I am the cure.
What did the Plague Doctors carry in their medical bags and belt pouches?
drugs
tru
The belt or neck pouch carried nutmeg, among others. It was thought that nutmeg wards off the Plague. This is one reason trade in spices like nutmeg led to several wars. The most relevant was the war between the British Empire and the Dutch. The British controlled the Island of Run in Indonesia where nutmeg was plentiful. Eventually, after four wars the Dutch and the Brits signed the Treaty of Breda in July of 1669. Based on this, the Brits ceded the Island of Run in return for the Dutch giving them the Island of Manhattan. This is the reason why I am writing this note (from New York) in English and not Dutch…
world is changing
The more things change, the more things stay the same…
I was wondering if long beak plague doctor costume be possible to get. If so… how much? I couldn’t find price on site. Thanks.
Hello, I was wondering how much it would cost to get just the cane? Also if they will be back in stock in time to get mine before Halloween?
it’s been a while since i left a message here. how are ya’ll?
Everything is sold out, will there be any more made?
Hi GalaxyCat. Absolutely. We are working as fast as possible, but it will take a few days or weeks. On the product page you can request that we notify you via email when it is available.
me:see coronavirus
also me:time to become a doctor
I would like to a plague doctor mask, hat and cloak. Will you let me know a price and when you might be in business again?
Yesss I’m gonna be a plague doctor!
It was a great source of information but it didn’t have enough of it.
Does anyone know where to get a plague doctor cane I’m one for Halloween so it would be helpful if someone could tell me
Buy some PVC pipe and paint it. You can always do the winged-thing out of Eva foam or cardboar!
Does anyone know where to get a proper tunic and spandex hood? I’m trying to recreate the German one with a little of the Dutch one but i can’t find anything anywhere. It would be really helpful.
Thank you already.
Heck yeah
The clothing worn by plague doctors was intended to protect them from airborne diseases. The costume, used in France and Italy in the h century, consisted of an ankle length overcoat and a bird-like beak mask, often filled with sweet or strong smelling substances (commonly lavender), along with gloves, boots, a wide-brimmed hat, and an outer over-clothing garment.
With the 1841 Plague Doctor image, I keep seeing clothing and such that are like what the mask/hood is, with it going from the neck down to about the middle of the chest. They weren’t extended hoods, but their own clothing thing that either had a turtle neck or no neck. Any idea what they’re called, anyone?
I’m in the same situation as you are. I’ve seen that some people call it ‘Pellegrina’ because of the traditional Pilgrims. They look very like Clerical pellegrina. Specially Priest’s. But have no idea what its real name is.
so uh i’m extremely lonely
I was just a girl when we met. Wrapped in innocence while still dragging the burdens of those I dearly loved, I prayed for someone or something to free me from the hell that my mind had become. To make my heart come alive once again. And then, on a hot summer’s afternoon, in the back of a car with the windows rolled down, the wind kissing my soft skin as I drove for a thousand miles, you appeared. Chased by stars and broken dreams you swept me from my feet and made me feel as if I wore a crown of daisies, as if I were the most precious thing in this never-ending universe. Your words were sweet like honey, sugar coating even the worst of your flaws. I looked past them all and saw the answer that I’d been looking for this whole time, and I knew that I had a choice. Either pass by this opportunity of new love, of my heart finally rising from the dead, or to plunge myself into your mind, your soul, your everything and fall deeply, madly in love with you. I didn’t think twice. The falling didn’t even hurt, it was the landing that shattered everything.
wat.uhhh noice
Beautiful.
hol up, where’s my weed guys
It’s in the mask. When the black death killed millions the doctors would dispose of the bodies. Obviously this smelt and they decided to put weed in it. And they lived happily ever after.
Well…
you’re not wrong?
the kids from my elementary school should’ve gotten these! they sure would have been able to protect themselves from the plague they thought I carried!
This would look really nice on my dead child at his funeral. Do you think I could buy a mask extra small?
kind regards,
Karen.
The masks are all one size, but you can ask for an extra small strap on your order. However, shipments take around 2-4 days in the United States and 8-10 days in other countries, so you should probably delay his funeral.
s(he) be(lie)ve(d)
s(he’s) br(ok)en
sbeve
lmao
she told me put the mask in the bag
and nobody gets sick
and now i’m running from the rats
i’m not fast
and the plagues getting worse
I think the admin of this web page is in fact working hard for his site, because here every information is quality based information.
fake news
just ordered the mask HALLOWEEN BICTHES
Did any medical knowledge from the black death contribute to medical knowledge today
who wants to sign up on a petition to start a new plague?
Heck yeah
heck yos
count me in
yres count me in ratatata
Great guys you got your wish. We have corona now. Yay 2020
Way to go. Now we know who’s fault the corona virus was.
Thinking about buying a mask tbh. Been interested in plague doctor masks since forever.
Take a look at our masks in stock!: https://plaguedoctormasks.com/product-category/masks/
im coming for you
NOICE
ALLAH AKABR CUNTS
Idiots.
Hat and mask and gloves
Boots with the plague (the plaugue)
SOY SAUUUUUUUCE
fleas from the backs of rats @ humans: it’s free real estate
Thanks, it is very informative
TAKE MY MONEY!!!!
very interesting
this site is heckin lit lmao
this is cool, i find the black plague/death interesting and im happy i wasnt affected by it.
word broski
word bruddA
this site is the lick!!! i know its only pics but I’m dew to order and if the merch is as sturdy as it looks I’m gnat start a collection!! word!!