But the most defining feature of the outfit is definitely the long-beaked mask that was stuffed with powerfully scented herbs and spices. Underneath the coat, the plague doctor wore a short-sleeved blouse that was tucked-in, as well as gloves and a hat made of the same goat leather. The outfit consisted of a long coat that was covered in scented wax, which extended all the way down to the ankle where the feet were dressed in boots made of goat leather. It is believed that de Lorme introduced the uniform in 1619. The design of the costume is credited to Charles de Lorme, the personal physician of King Louis XIII of France and the wealthy Médici family. The plague doctor uniform: was this the first example of personal protective equipment?Īlthough the Black Plague reached Sicilian ports in the late 1340s, the plague doctors didn’t start wearing their now-iconic fashion until the 17th century. If you thought hazmat suits were scary, the costumes worn by these plague doctors elicited a whole new level of dread mixed with mystery, the kind that would be at home in a David Lynch film.
In Medieval times, you knew things were serious when the plague doctor came to town, who was immediately recognizable by his beaked mask. At one point, the plague killed one-third of Europe’s population in only a few years. The Black Death, for instance, loomed like a specter of pestilence for centuries, rapidly spreading, then subsiding, only to return in yet another wave. But, let’s face it: we’ve seen much worse. The COVID-19 pandemic has become one of the worst health crises in a century, with over five million killed so far by the coronavirus.
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