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16th Century plague doctor mask on display


Still Waters

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This was the first design of the Plague Doctor’s mask. During medieval Europe, there were two main theories of how diseases were spread and contracted: the Four Humors theory, and the Miasma theory.

This mask was designed to fight against the Miasma theory. This theory of disease believed that people got sick from “bad air”, and so what this mask’s long nose was designed to do was the wearers would put pleasant smelling herbs and light then on fire to prevent Miasma from being inhaled by the wearer by “cleansing” the “bad air”.

The mask had glass openings in the eyes and a curved beak shaped like a bird’s beak with straps that held the beak in front of the doctor’s nose. The mask had two small nose holes and was a type of respirator which contained aromatic items. 

https://www.vintag.es/2020/02/plague-doctor-mask.html

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Oh, that makes more sense.  Some television show I watched had a murder wearing that mask in order to hide some toxic something. I can't remember, I watch so many murder mysteries but the mask was really weird.  Now I know where it came from.

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A bit disturbing.  In the engraving, they depicted the doctor with creepy hands too.    

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Reminds me of Thoth

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The masks I have seen had more of a curved beak. The coats I have seen in leather I did not know they used waxed canvas. The stick and how it was used is new to me. Thank you for the information☺.

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