Why plague doctors wore beaked masks

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Why plague doctors wore beaked masks with tags plague masks, plague doctors, plague, bubonic plague, black death, pandemic, european plague doctor, plague doctor robe, plague outbreak, galen, miasma, pomander, hazmat suit, yersinia pestis, flea, disease, doctors, physicians, ancient physicians, medicine, medical practices, ancient medicine, bloodletting, cupping, lymph nodes, cautery, modern medicine, masks, history, medieval history, education, animation, anton bogaty, stephanie honchell smith, ted, ted-ed, ted ed, teded, ted education

Explore the history of the European plague doctor, and find out where their iconic outfit of a beaked mask and robe came from.

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The year is 1656. Your body is wracked by violent chills. Your head pounds and you're too weak to sit up. In your feverish state, you see a strange-looking man wearing a beak-like mask, his body covered from head to toe. Without seeing his face, you know: you have the plague. So, where did these iconic outfits come from? Stephanie Honchell Smith explores the history of plague doctors.

Directed by Anton Bogaty.

This video made possible in collaboration with Gates Ventures

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