Plague Death Mask Stock Photo

Doctor bird mask of the 17th Century to protect wearer from patients with Bubonic Plague. The purpose of the mask was to keep away bad smells such as decaying bodies and the smell taken with the most caution was known as miasma,a noxious form of "bad air". This was thought to be the principal cause of the disease. The doctors also carried long,wooden canes so they would not have to touch patients. The most recognizable feature of the uniform,though,was the mask. The mask made the plague doctors look like birds. It had a long beak that extended about six inches from the face.