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Time-Life reference for "Beak Doctor"
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[[File:Carnevale Beak Doctor Masks.jpg|thumb|Carnevale Beak Doctor Masks]]
[[File:Carnevale Beak Doctor Masks.jpg|thumb|Carnevale Beak Doctor Masks]]


A '''beak doctor costume''' was an ankle length overcoat and a bird-like beak mask worn by a [[plague doctor]] to protect him from airborne diseases.<ref name="BodySystems">Pommerville (Body Systems), p. 15</ref><ref>Bauer, p. 145</ref><ref>Abrams, p. 257</ref><ref>Byfield, p. 26</ref> Fourteenth century plague doctors that wore this bird-like mask were referred to as "beak doctors".<ref> Geography Magazine April 1991, p. 19, '' Plague doctors of the 14th century wore disctintive bird-like masks and were known as beak doctors.'' <br /> :*[[Ulrich's Periodicals Directory]], ulrichsweb.com or email ''magazine at geographical.co.uk,'' Content Type : Academic / Scholarly </ref> Straps held the beak in front of the doctor's nose.<ref name="Ellis202"/> The mask had glass openings for the eyes and a curved beak was shaped like a bird. The beak led to the nickname "beak doctors."<ref name="BodySystems"/><ref name="Ellis202"/><ref>Byrne (Encyclopedia), p. 505</ref> The mask had two small nose holes and was a type of [[respirator]]. The mask they wore had a protruded [[beak]] which contained aromatic herbs.<ref> Time-Life Books, pp. 140, 158 </ref><ref> Ellis, p. 202 </ref> The beak held dried flowers (including roses and carnations), herbs (including mint), spices, camphor or a vinegar sponge.<ref>O'Donnell, p. 135</ref><ref>Stuart, p. 15</ref>
A '''beak doctor costume''' was an ankle length overcoat and a bird-like beak mask worn by a [[plague doctor]] to protect him from airborne diseases.<ref name="BodySystems">Pommerville (Body Systems), p. 15</ref><ref>Bauer, p. 145</ref><ref>Abrams, p. 257</ref><ref>Byfield, p. 26</ref> Fourteenth century plague doctors that wore this bird-like mask were referred to as "beak doctors".<ref> Geography Magazine April 1991, p. 19, '' Plague doctors of the 14th century wore disctintive bird-like masks and were known as beak doctors.'' <br /> :*[[Ulrich's Periodicals Directory]], ulrichsweb.com or email ''magazine at geographical.co.uk,'' Content Type : Academic / Scholarly </ref><ref> Time-Life Books, p. 158 ''Beak Doctor: during the Black Plague, a medical man who wore a beak mask to protect himself against infection.''<br />
Black plague definition: ''In 14th-century Europe, the victims of the "black plague" had bleeding below the skin (subcutaneous hemorrhage) which made darkened ("blackened") their bodies. Black plague can lead to "black death" characterized by gangrene of the fingers, toes, and nose. Black plague is caused by a bacterium (Yersinia pestis) which is transmitted to humans from infected rats by the oriental rat flea.'' medterm.com</ref> Straps held the beak in front of the doctor's nose.<ref name="Ellis202"/> The mask had glass openings for the eyes and a curved beak was shaped like a bird. The beak led to the nickname "beak doctors."<ref name="BodySystems"/><ref name="Ellis202"/><ref>Byrne (Encyclopedia), p. 505</ref> The mask had two small nose holes and was a type of [[respirator]]. The mask they wore had a protruded [[beak]] which contained aromatic herbs.<ref> Time-Life Books, pp. 140, 158 </ref><ref> Ellis, p. 202 </ref> The beak held dried flowers (including roses and carnations), herbs (including mint), spices, camphor or a vinegar sponge.<ref>O'Donnell, p. 135</ref><ref>Stuart, p. 15</ref>


[[Charles de Lorme]] adopted in 1619 the idea of a full protective garment,<ref name="Boeckl15"> Boeckl, p. 15 </ref> modeled after a soldier's armour.<ref> Duffin, p. 57 </ref> This consisted of not only the bird-like mask, but of a long leather or waxed-canvas gown which was from the neck to the angle.<ref name="Boeckl15"/> The over-clothing garment, as well as leggings, gloves, boots, and a hat, were made of waxed leather.<ref name="BodySystems"/><ref>Hirts, p. 66</ref><ref>Reynolds, p. 23</ref> The garment was impregnated with similar fragrant items as the beak mask.<ref>Kenda, p. 154</ref> Doctors believed the herbs would counter the "evil" smells of the plague and prevent them from becoming infected.<ref name="Ellis202">Ellis, p. 202</ref> It was based on the [[miasma theory of disease]].<ref name="BodySystems"/><ref name="Ellis202"/>
[[Charles de Lorme]] adopted in 1619 the idea of a full protective garment,<ref name="Boeckl15"> Boeckl, p. 15 </ref> modeled after a soldier's armour.<ref> Duffin, p. 57 </ref> This consisted of not only the bird-like mask, but of a long leather or waxed-canvas gown which was from the neck to the angle.<ref name="Boeckl15"/> The over-clothing garment, as well as leggings, gloves, boots, and a hat, were made of waxed leather.<ref name="BodySystems"/><ref>Hirts, p. 66</ref><ref>Reynolds, p. 23</ref> The garment was impregnated with similar fragrant items as the beak mask.<ref>Kenda, p. 154</ref> Doctors believed the herbs would counter the "evil" smells of the plague and prevent them from becoming infected.<ref name="Ellis202">Ellis, p. 202</ref> It was based on the [[miasma theory of disease]].<ref name="BodySystems"/><ref name="Ellis202"/>

Revision as of 20:33, 25 June 2011

A beak doctor costume protective clothing worn by doctors of Rome
Nijmegen Plague Doctor 1636-37[1]
"The Beak Doctor" 1661 after Historiae anatomicae by Thomas Bartholin, 1661[2]
Medico Della Peste
Carnevale Beak Doctor Masks

A beak doctor costume was an ankle length overcoat and a bird-like beak mask worn by a plague doctor to protect him from airborne diseases.[3][4][5][6] Fourteenth century plague doctors that wore this bird-like mask were referred to as "beak doctors".[7][8] Straps held the beak in front of the doctor's nose.[9] The mask had glass openings for the eyes and a curved beak was shaped like a bird. The beak led to the nickname "beak doctors."[3][9][10] The mask had two small nose holes and was a type of respirator. The mask they wore had a protruded beak which contained aromatic herbs.[11][12] The beak held dried flowers (including roses and carnations), herbs (including mint), spices, camphor or a vinegar sponge.[13][14]

Charles de Lorme adopted in 1619 the idea of a full protective garment,[15] modeled after a soldier's armour.[16] This consisted of not only the bird-like mask, but of a long leather or waxed-canvas gown which was from the neck to the angle.[15] The over-clothing garment, as well as leggings, gloves, boots, and a hat, were made of waxed leather.[3][17][18] The garment was impregnated with similar fragrant items as the beak mask.[19] Doctors believed the herbs would counter the "evil" smells of the plague and prevent them from becoming infected.[9] It was based on the miasma theory of disease.[3][9]

The beak doctor costume worn by the plague doctors had a wide brimmed leather hood to indicate their profession.[3][20] They used wooden canes to point out areas needing attention and to examine the patients without touching them.[21] The canes were also used to keep people away[3] and to remove clothing from plague victims without touching them or to take patients' pulses.[22]

This seventeenth century poem describes the "beak doctor" costume:

As may be seen on picture here,
In Rome the doctors do appear,
When to their patients they are called,
In places by the plague appalled,
Their hats and cloaks, of fashion new,
Are made of oilcloth, dark of hue,
Their caps with glasses are designed,
Their bills with antidotes all lined,
That foulsome air may do no harm,
Nor cause the doctor man alarm,
The staff in hand must serve to show
Their noble trade where'er they go.[23][24]

The Genovese physician Jean-Jacques Manget, in his 1721 work Treatise on the Plague written just after the Great Plague of Marseille, describes the costume worn by plague doctors at Nijmegen in 1636-1637. The costume forms the frontispiece of Manget's 1721 work.[25] The plague doctors of Nijmegen also wore beaked masks. Their robes, leggings, hats, and gloves were made of morocco leather.[26]

This costume was also worn by plague doctors during the Plague of 1656, which killed 145,000 people in Rome and 300,000 in Naples.[27] The overcoat was sometimes made of "levant morocco".[28] The costume terrified people because it was a sign of imminent death. Plague doctors wore these protective costumes per their agreements when they attended their plague patients.

Culture

The costume is also associated with a commedia dell'arte character called Il Medico della Peste ("the doctor of plague").[29] The character's very popular mask is associated with the early-17th century French doctor Charles de Lorme. [30] He adopted the "beak mask" together with other sanitary precautions while treating plague victims.[31] The Venetian mask was normally white, consisting of a hollow beak and round eye-holes covered with clear glass.[30]

Footnotes

  1. ^ Traité de la peste recueilli des meilleurs auteurs anciens et modernes (Geneva, 1721)
  2. ^ Nohl, p. 97
  3. ^ a b c d e f Pommerville (Body Systems), p. 15
  4. ^ Bauer, p. 145
  5. ^ Abrams, p. 257
  6. ^ Byfield, p. 26
  7. ^ Geography Magazine April 1991, p. 19, Plague doctors of the 14th century wore disctintive bird-like masks and were known as beak doctors.
     :*Ulrich's Periodicals Directory, ulrichsweb.com or email magazine at geographical.co.uk, Content Type : Academic / Scholarly
  8. ^ Time-Life Books, p. 158 Beak Doctor: during the Black Plague, a medical man who wore a beak mask to protect himself against infection.
    Black plague definition: In 14th-century Europe, the victims of the "black plague" had bleeding below the skin (subcutaneous hemorrhage) which made darkened ("blackened") their bodies. Black plague can lead to "black death" characterized by gangrene of the fingers, toes, and nose. Black plague is caused by a bacterium (Yersinia pestis) which is transmitted to humans from infected rats by the oriental rat flea. medterm.com
  9. ^ a b c d Ellis, p. 202
  10. ^ Byrne (Encyclopedia), p. 505
  11. ^ Time-Life Books, pp. 140, 158
  12. ^ Ellis, p. 202
  13. ^ O'Donnell, p. 135
  14. ^ Stuart, p. 15
  15. ^ a b Boeckl, p. 15
  16. ^ Duffin, p. 57
  17. ^ Hirts, p. 66
  18. ^ Reynolds, p. 23
  19. ^ Kenda, p. 154
  20. ^ Center for Advanced Study in Theatre Arts, p. 83
  21. ^ Doktor Schnabel von Rom, engraving by Paul Fürst (after J Columbina), Rome 1656.
  22. ^ Pommerville, p. 9
  23. ^ Nohl, pp. 94, 95
  24. ^ Sandler, p. 42
  25. ^ Manget, p. 3
  26. ^ Timbs, p. 360
  27. ^ The Plague Doctor
  28. ^ American Medical Association - JAMA.: The Journal of the American Medical Association, Volume 34, p. 639
  29. ^ Killinger, p. 95
  30. ^ a b Carnevale
  31. ^ Christine M. Boeckl, Images of plague and pestilence: iconography and iconology (Truman State University Press, 2000), p. 15.

References

  • Abrams, J. J., The Road Not Taken, Simon and Schuster, 2005, ISBN 1416924833
  • Bauer, S. Wise, The Story of the World Activity Book Two: The Middle Ages : From the Fall of Rome to the Rise of the Renaissance, Peace Hill Press, 2003, ISBN 0971412944
  • Byfield, Ted, Renaissance: God in Man, A.D. 1300 to 1500: But Amid Its Splendors, Night Falls on Medieval Christianity, Christian History Project, 2010, ISBN 0968987389
  • Byrne, Joseph Patrick, Encyclopedia of Pestilence, Pandemics, and Plagues, ABC-CLIO, 2008, ISBN 0313341028
  • Center for Advanced Study in Theatre Arts, Western European stages, Volume 14, CASTA, 2002,
  • Duffin, Jacalyn, SARS in context: memory, history, policy, McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP, 2006, ISBN 0773531947
  • Ellis, Oliver C., A History of Fire and Flame 1932 , Kessinger Publishing, 2004, ISBN 1417975830
  • Hirst, Leonard Fabian, The conquest of plague: a study of the evolution of epidemiology, Clarendon Press, 1953,
  • Kenda, Barbara, Aeolian winds and the spirit in Renaissance architecture: Academia Eolia revisited, Taylor & Francis, 2006, ISBN 0415398045
  • Killinger, Charles L., Culture and customs of Italy, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005, ISBN 0313324891
  • Nohl, Johannes, The Black Death: A Chronicle of the Plague, J. & J. Harper Edition 1969, Library of Congress No. 79-81867
  • Manget, Jean-Jacques, Traité de la peste recueilli des meilleurs auteurs anciens et modernes, Geneva, 1721, online as PDF, 28Mb download
  • O'Donnell, Terence, History of life insurance in its formative years, American Conservation Company, 1936
  • Pommerville, Jeffrey, Alcamo's Fundamentals of Microbiology: Body Systems, Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2009, ISBN 0763762598
  • Pommerville, Jeffrey, Alcamo's Fundamentals of Microbiology, Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2010, ISBN 076376258X
  • Reynolds, Richard C., On doctor[i]ng: stories, poems, essays, Simon and Schuster, 2001, ISBN 0743201531
  • Sandler, Merton, Wine: a scientific exploration, CRC Press, 2003, ISBN 0415247349
  • Stuart, David C., Dangerous garden: the quest for plants to change our lives, frances lincoln ltd, 2004, ISBN 0711222657
  • Timbs, John, The Mirror of literature, amusement, and instruction, Volume 37, J. Limbird, 1841
  • Time-Life Books, What life was like in the age of chivalry: medieval Europe, AD 800-1500, 1997


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