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A beak doctor costume was an ankle length overcoat and a bird-like beak mask worn by a plague doctor to protect him from airborne diseases.[7]
Fourteenth century plague doctors that wore a bird-like mask were referred to as "beak doctors".[8][9] Straps held the beak in front of the doctor's nose.[10] The mask had glass openings for the eyes and a curved beak was shaped like a bird's. The beak mask, along with gloves, boots, a brim hat and an outer over-clothing garment, led to the Middle Ages nickname of "beak doctors."[11] The mask had two small nose holes and was a type of respirator. The mask they wore had a protruded beak which contained aromatic herbs.[12] The beak held dried flowers (including roses and carnations), herbs (including mint), spices, camphor or a vinegar sponge.[13][14] The bird beak mask and leather hat imitated an Egyptian divinity, the idea being to scare off the evil spirits of the disease.[1]
Charles de Lorme adopted in 1619 the idea of a full head-to-toe protective garment,[15] modeled after a soldier's armour.[16] This consisted of not only the bird-like mask, but of a long leather (Moroccan or Levantine)[16] or waxed-canvas gown which was from the neck to the ankle.[15] The over-clothing garment, as well as leggings, gloves, boots, and a hat, were made of waxed leather.[17] The garment was impregnated with similar fragrant items as the beak mask.[18] Doctors believed the herbs would counter the "evil" smells of the plague and prevent them from becoming infected.[10] The idea was based on the miasma theory of disease.[7][10]
The beak doctor costume worn by the plague doctors had a wide brimmed leather hood to indicate their profession.[7][19] They used wooden canes to point out areas needing attention and to examine the patients without touching them.[20] The canes were also used to keep people away[21] and to remove clothing from plague victims without touching them or to take patients' pulses.[7][22]
This popular seventeenth century poem written by Dr Nathaniel Hodges describes the "Beak Doctors" costume that scared children:[1][4]
- As may be seen on picture here,
- In Rome the doctors do appear,
- When to their patients they are called,
- In places by the plague appalled,
- Their hats and cloaks, of fashion new,
- Are made of oilcloth, dark of hue,
- Their caps with glasses are designed,
- Their bills with antidotes all lined,
- That foulsome air may do no harm,
- Nor cause the doctor man alarm,
- The staff in hand must serve to show
- Their noble trade where'er they go.[23]
The Genevese physician Jean-Jacques Manget, in his 1721 work Treatise on the Plague written just after the Great Plague of Marseille, describes the costume worn by plague doctors at Nijmegen in 1636-1637. The costume forms the frontispiece of Manget's 1721 work.[24] The plague doctors of Nijmegen also wore beaked masks. Their robes, leggings, hats, and gloves were made of morocco leather.[25]
This costume was also worn by plague doctors during the Plague of 1656, which killed 145,000 people in Rome and 300,000 in Naples.[26] The overcoat was sometimes made of levant morocco[27].[21] The costume terrified people because it was a sign of imminent death. Plague doctors wore these protective costumes per their agreements when they attended their plague patients.
