The beaked mask wasn’t just for show—it was packed with herbs to ward off “bad air.” Underneath it? One of the most haunting jobs in history.

The Plague Doctor’s eerie beak mask was designed to protect against “evil” smells thought to cause disease. But the truth behind this creepy costume will shock you! Discover the medically ...

Three horrific plague pandemics swept across the globe before its cause was ultimately uncovered—the Plague of Justinian, which killed up to 10,000 people a day circa A.D. 561; the Black Death ...

Some plague doctors may have worn spooky-looking beak mask costumes to prevent infection during disease epidemics.

The plague doctor’s face gear marks an important moment in the history of the medical mask. The beak, developed by the French medical doctor Charles de Lorme, was among the first face coverings ...

Juanita Cameron is a clerk at the Theatrical Shop in West Des Moines, which specializes in costumes. She says one particular mask is selling big this fall. “That plague doctor mask with the ...

He would dawn a plague mask which usually resembled the face of a white bird to include a curved beak and glass, goggle-like eye holes.