Plague doctors, or at least images of plague doctors, are having a bit of a cultural moment again, roughly 300 years after their actual heyday. They’ve become popular motifs for stickers, pins, masks, ...

When he first put on the Toucan, Thomas Finney felt transformed. He saw the bright orange, green, blue, and red leather beak hanging from his face, and he was no longer himself—and, more importantly, ...

In the 17th century, people believed these outfits could purify poisonous air. They were wrong. During the 17th-century European plague, physicians wore beaked masks, leather gloves, and long coats in ...

The Bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, ravaged Europe for centuries, claiming millions of lives. Believing the plague spread through miasma, or bad air, doctors wore elaborate costumes ...

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 obsolete ...

You’ve seen them before: mysterious figures, clad from head to toe in oiled leather, wearing goggles and beaked masks. The plague doctor costume looks like a cross between a steampunk crow and the ...

With Halloween just around the corner, seeing people dressed in scary outfits will shortly become more common. However, context is important and attendees at the Infectious Diseases Week (IDWeek) ...