PPE

pestilence doctors in medieval Europe: wearing protective clothing like birdmen

prints reflecting medieval pestilence doctors

pestilence doctors were a special profession in medieval Europe. They are often Mongolian doctors without professional training. They can’t do surgery and can’t work normally. On the contrary, they have a place in the plague when everyone is helpless. The status of these people is not low, not only have the privilege of autopsy, if kidnapped, the community will be willing to take out several times the ransom of ordinary people to redeem them

the exaggerated mask of plague doctor often appears in modern popular culture. This mask was invented by Charles de lorme, a French doctor, in 1619. 1t is integrated with a protective clothing covering the whole body. Only two eyes are left to observe things through the glass. The respirator in the nose is filled with dried flowers, herbs, spices and vinegar soaked sponges, which are used to guard against miasma, the cause of pestilence at that time. Equipped with this suit, the plague doctor looks like a bird man

the plague doctor’s work is not fruitless. From his epidemic prevention work, Nostradamus summed up some effective experiences, such as timely cleaning of corpses, more ventilation and attention to drinking water sanitation. The father of modern surgery and pathology, anatomist ambrowaz parry, was a plague doctor

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