Plague doctors, or at least images of plague doctors, are having a bit of a cultural moment again, roughly 300 years after their actual heyday.

Why plague doctors wore those strange beaked masks In the 17th century, people believed these outfits could purify poisonous air. They were wrong.

Believing the plague spread through miasma, or bad air, doctors wore elaborate costumes with beak-like masks filled with aromatic substances to protect themselves.

Some plague doctors may have worn spooky-looking beak mask costumes to prevent infection during disease epidemics.

The Plague Doctor’s eerie beak mask was designed to protect against “evil” smells thought to cause disease. But the truth behind this creepy costume will shock you! Discover the medically ...

While the plague doctor is a figure from the past symbolized through Venetian masks, in many ways new technology has served as its contemporary medical surrogate.