Anna Brown

16TH CENTURY PLAGUE DOCTOR MASK

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

A medical physician of the Middle Ages who saw those who had the bubonic plague. They were specifically hired by towns that had many plague victims in times of plague epidemics. Since the city was paying their salary they treated everyone, the rich and the poor. They were not normally professionally trained experienced physicians or surgeons, and often were second rate doctors not able to otherwise run a successful medical business or young physicians just out of school trying to get a medical business going. They were not otherwise a general practitioner or “family doctor”. Plague doctors by their covenant treated only plague patients and were known as municipal or “community plague doctors” , whereas “general practitioners” were separate doctors and both might be in the same European city or town at the same time.

DIFFERENT STYLES

The beak they had was a filter for what they believed to be bad, infected air.

KEY FEATURES

Eye sockets were glass that were welded and stitches into the mask. Much like a gas mask.

Straps that wrapped round the head and pinned onto the front of the mask so there is no space around the edge of the face

The plague mask was made with Moroccan leather because it was hard wearing and thick. However I could use faux leather as it would have the same aesthetic effect.

DEPICTIONS IN ENTERTAINMENT