![]() Often, these plague doctors were the last thing a patient would see before death therefore, the doctors were seen as a foreboding of death. Depictions of the beaked plague doctor rose in response to superstition and fear about the unknown source of the plague. The beaked plague doctor inspired costumes in Italian theatre as a symbol of general horror and death, though some historians insist that the plague doctor was originally fictional and inspired the real plague doctors later. The exact origins of the costume are unclear, as most depictions come from satirical writings and political cartoons. The canes were also used to keep people away and to remove clothing from plague victims without having to touch them. Doctors used wooden canes in order to point out areas needing attention and to examine patients without touching them. ![]() The wide-brimmed leather hat indicated their profession. Doctors believed the herbs would counter the "evil" smells of the plague and prevent them from becoming infected. The purpose of the mask was to keep away bad smells, known as miasma, which were thought to be the principal cause of the disease. The beak could hold dried flowers (commonly roses and carnations), herbs (commonly lavender and peppermint), camphor, or a vinegar sponge, as well as juniper berry, ambergris, cloves, labdanum, myrrh, and storax. The mask had two small nose holes and was a type of respirator which contained aromatic items. The typical mask had glass openings for 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 typical costume consists of an ankle-length overcoat and a bird-like beak mask, often filled with sweet or strong-smelling substances (commonly lavender), along with gloves, boots, a wide-brimmed hat, and an outer over-clothing garment. Plague doctor outfit from Germany (17th century)
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