Plague Doctors / Чума Врачи

Don't worry, it's only a Plague Doctor

Plague Doctors roamed Europe during the middle ages, to fight the Bubonic Plague aka The Black Death. Often, these men were second rate doctors without a practice, or an inexperienced practitioner trying to establish himself in the field of medicine....commonly, the plague doctor was an untrained individual, with NO medical background.

Usually, it was the local plague-afflicted community which hired them rather than a wealthy individual, and therefore the doctors attended everybody, regardless of wealth or social standing. Because of this unbiased attitude towards the sick, and their own exposure to the plague, the doctors were respected by all.

Duties included: performing autopsies, giving advice to the dying, witnessing last will and testaments and of course, administering medicine to the sick. -leeches, frogs and bloodletting to the affected areas 

The plague doctors were paid extremely well ( 4x the rate of a regular doctor! ). Not surprising however, they had a very low life expectancy. e.g. of eighteen plague doctors serving in Venice in 1348, only one survived, five had died and the other twelve had disappeared.

The most famous plague doctor of all was Nostradamus ....

Nostra - who?!?! ( never mind, I'll save it for another post )

"tu es asinus"

The outer suit which they wore, was made from a heavy, waxed fabric. The "bird-like" mask, had glass eyes to see and a beak nose which would hold scented materials, such as clove, laudanum, rose petals to protect the doctor from the "bad air" ( which was believed to transmit the plague ); and straw for a filter system. Additionally, they would have incense on sponges, placed into their nostrils and ears. They would chew garlic as well.

The doctors wore hats/hoods, boots and gloves and carried a wooden cane, in order to examine the patients, without actually having to touch them by hand e.g. lift the bed sheets, clothing. This cane could also be used to whip people as they repented their sins..... many felt that the plague had come as a punishment.

Accurate translation below***

The charts below, one in English, one in Russian, provide descriptions of the doctors.

***
Translation:
blah.... blah.... blah....
.....blah... I shall whip thou-est sorry ass! ....thee wicked sinner from blah blah....***

As Europe's sanitary conditions gradually improved, the incidences of plague decreased; and combined with advancements in medicine for the treatment of disease, the Plague Doctors had disappeared by the 19th century.

For an excellent treatment of the grim situation which these doctors faced and also one heck of a good movie - VERY!, see "Black Death" (2011) with Sean Bean.

Finally, a popular poem from the 17th century, describing the Plague Doctors:

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.

***
I am unable to center the 2nd line of this awesome poem, as there seems to be a curse on it ***

Thanks To:

• Wikipedia
• Google Images
• YouTube
• Dark Biology.com
• English Pravda.Ru