English Plague Physcians

When death visited England in the mid 1500s in the form of the Bubonic Plague, the physicians that would routinely visit patients adopted a strange-looking outift that consisted of a long black robe, a waist pouch, and oddly-looking enough, a large beak-like mask that protruded from the doctor's face. In addition to these things, the physicians also wore leather gloves, hats, and boots. All of these items played a guard's role in protecting the doctor from one of England's most deadly diseases.

You could easily imagine what it might have been like to be visited by these Elizabethan-era plague doctors that looked like the reaper of death themselves. The robe, the gloves, the hat, and the boots were all security devices against the fleas that carried the virus. The mask and waist pouch, however, were actually filled with various herbs and oils, some even including dried blood and ground up toad, that were believed to prevent the spread of the disease. The mask allowed the doctor to breathe in "safe" air, as opposed to taking in the diseased air of the victim.

To learn more about the Elizabethan-era plague in England, visit http://www.william-shakespeare.info/bubonic-black-plague-elizabethan-era.htm.