Why plague doctors wore beaked masks

Explore the history of the European plague doctor, and find out where their iconic outfit of a beaked mask and robe came from.
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The year is 1656. Your body is wracked by violent chills. Your head pounds and you're too weak to sit up. In your feverish state, you see a strange-looking man wearing a beak-like mask, his body covered from head to toe. Without seeing his face, you know: you have the plague. So, where did these iconic outfits come from? Stephanie Honchell Smith explores the history of plague doctors.
Directed by Anton Bogaty.
This video made possible in collaboration with Gates Ventures
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View full lesson: ed.ted.com/lessons/why-plague...
Dig deeper with additional resources: ed.ted.com/lessons/why-plague...
Animator's website: / anton_bogaty
Music: yessian.com
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Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Chin Beng Tan, Tom Boman, Karen Warner, Iryna Panasiuk, Aaron Torres, Eric Braun, Sonja Worzewski, Michael Clement, Adam Berry, Ghaith Tarawneh, Nathan Milford, Tomas Beckett, Alice Ice, Eric Berman, Kurt Paolo Sevillano, Jennifer Heald, Megulo Abebe, isolwi, Kate Sem, Ujjwal Dasu, Angel Alberici, Minh Quan Dinh, Sylvain, Terran Gimpel, Talia Sari, Katie McDowell, Allen, Mahina Knuckles, Charmaine Hanson, Thawsitt, Jezabel, Abdullah Abdulaziz, Xiao Yu, Melissa Suarez, Brian A. Dunn, Francisco Amaya, Daisuke Goto, Matt Switzler, Peng, Tzu-Hsiang, Bethany Connor, Jeremy Shimanek, Mark Byers, Avinash Amarnath, Xuebicoco, Rayo, Po Foon Kwong, Boffin, Jesse Jurman, Scott Markley and Elija Peterson.

[@CCLLRRKK]

I have exam tomorrow but this is more important

[@tej2130]

Same

[@roopakshetty132]

Couldn't be more relatable 😭😭

[@yafetdaniel2965]

@@roopakshetty132 fr

[@adelah5053]

🤣🤣

[@tonight7559]

Wtf is this me

[@sketchyskies8531]

I would be terrified if I saw a man in a crow mask while having a fever

[@kool-aidman7454]

I would think Death has come to take me.

[@SusannaJ]

🤣

[@cameraamnhac]

hello friends

[@jaxtheoverlord6959]

If I saw that I'd assume I was already dead

[@mcfarofinha134]

I would assume the reaper came for me

[@Brydav_Massbear]

What I love so much about the Plague Doctors is that they are the perfect example of how sometimes just because something is dark and creepy, doesn't necessarily mean they are bad.

[@aidanthompson2467]

I concur

[@Your_online_dude]

I heavily agree 😊

[@gordonlekfors2708]

how do you mean that they are dark?

[@grayrobber]

@@gordonlekfors2708what he means is in the theme, not colour.

[@jejehatesme31]

considering they thought bleeding you out was good treatment i would say that it is a bad thing

[@rikachiu]

I can't help but contrast this to our recent pandemic. It's insane how people take what we have today for granted.

[@chancehendrix7139]

Like what? Preventative snake oil? High blood pressure snake oil that has the ability to cause side effects? Anti depressive chemical mind shackles?

[@monicatheintrovert]

Tell them to the anti-vaccs

[@TheSoftballstar1261]

@@monicatheintrovert I agree!!!

[@MasterPandaBearChannel]

@@monicatheintrovert lol totally not that one. Taking a vax without any evidence of cure

[@LuckyFlesh]

@@monicatheintrovert The "vaccines" don't prevent you from catching or spreading Covid. Ergo, technically, they are therapeutics, not vaccines. Ergo, "anti vaccs" makes no sense.

[@outtomyol5542]

My students often want to write on plague doctors for my medieval courses not knowing that they were an early modern phenomena. This is a great resource for setting that timeline straight. Thanks!

[@iooioo553]

Dude just let them pass

[@Kirasfox]

@@iooioo553 .....they need to learn first

[@punprincess3214]

your students will no doubt love this!

[@crweewrc1388]

THIS is why I love Ted- ed. They always try to answer such interesting questions!

[@wizlounge]

This video is only here to get you to click on their other video about the next pandemic. If you look into it, you'll find that Ted Ed is funded by the gates foundation. It's all manipulation

[@lilsophiewithafrog8343]

Don’t listen to them they a scammer if that wasn’t obvious

[@osheridan]

@@lilsophiewithafrog8343 I thought you meant Ted Ed at first and was confused to how you can scam w/o the audience paying you lol-

[@NOOBCRASTINATOR69]

Thank you to all the doctors for sacrificing their comfort for people like us. Its not about money it's about their compassion humanity and hard work💕 Edit: anything anyone does is about the money. But lemme tell u money doesn't have the power to generate that kind of dedication and sympathy to save a human life,money is something but not everything. There's surgeons in OT for straight up 48 to 72hrs trying to make someone's life better..this amount of effort is priceless, no money can repay them..

[@joychristopherj8264]

Only applicable to doctors of those time

[@Lush_Produce]

Its about the money

[@hazardeur]

@@Lush_Produce shut up. of course they earn well but you probably forgot to think about the fact that a doctor is one of the most, if not THE most important profession there is for us humans. Also, they have a rather lenghty studying process and it takes years often times decades to become a certified doctor in a field. on top of that you have to deal with other people, having to look and touch their sick body parts which probably is not such a pleasurable thing to do most of the time and i'm not even talking about surgeons. On top of that top, they usually work a lot and often have to be available on short notice and/or work long shits until something is completed. and on top of that, they aren't allowed to make mistakes because you better believe that customers families and themselves will not be happy if things go south so it's a lot of pressure and expectation. most people who want to be doctors don't think about the money first or second, they think about helping people and doing what they find interesting. if they'd be in for the money, they could just study business economics, be done after 3 years and earn just as big and even become a business owner. much, much easier and faster. i think it's just right to have doctors earn good money and, if it were for me, the same would be true for many other underrated jobs in healthcare like nurses, social workers, hospital staff etc. etc.

[@Lush_Produce]

@@hazardeur dude it’s like if I was a doctor I would do it for the money but I would take care of the patients

[@Lush_Produce]

Probably should’ve mentioned that

[@johnnyle6668]

A lot of the stuff that they put in the beak actually made sense. Cinnamon and pepper will cause you to produce more mucus while copper is anti microbial

[@s_m_v]

The powdered viper flesh made the most sense.

[@vanniedahilig8096]

It’s ironic that in probably 50yrs from now the recent pandemic would be talked about like this. And yet we’ve lived through it. Even experienced it

[@sherlockholmes9066]

Why ironic?

[@sherlockholmes9066]

@@jdb85 Why thank you

[@those.gamers.]

People wore masks similar to ours in the Spanish flu a century ago

[@pain_weaver]

Spanish flu was the most recent actual pandemic

[@catpocalypsenow8090]

We experienced a narrative, and people went along with it.

[@mohammedsaquibkhan2592]

"Some things never change" is such a beautiful phrase in this case😍😇 Inspiring future physicians.

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

They definitely don't. Masks were completely useless at preventing the plague and they were also completely useless at preventing COVID. Yet people still wore them and thought they were "working"... People are absolute MORONS

[@atklm1]

And also inspiring future pharmacologists (whom are often also physicians) the fact that we cured plague, among most other bacterial infections with invention of penicillin mass production.

[@Sllee93]

I love the finishing touches to honor the brave and noble healthcare professionals, both modern and in ancient times.

[@smrtchnl]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmrJYoyQjMxropI

[@DannyConeHeadOnceLer]

I agree, at least they attempt to welcome science and cure the diseases they had to deal with it back then

[@lrvdo]

Thanks doctors, scientists, engineers for not giving up.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Same here ❤

[@B3_H0N3ST]

Can we just appreciate ted ed for always giving up facts and pieces of knowledge weekly or monthly

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

I agree.❤

[@joshchristopher551]

People got scared of that mask at that time because if you see him in that mask, you got a death sentence

[@lifeiscats1337]

Yep, it’s pretty much like the grim reaper. Once u see em, ur dead 💀

[@dezzydayy4608]

I feel like we needed this during the early stages of covid. Great job overall.

[@alejandrocordero2492]

Yep, just get that plague doctor suit, and then you're immune to the COVID. I don't see any other solution (besides getting a hazmat suit).

[@tylerwill5250]

Lol….we are talking about something that had a 30-40 percent survival rate and comparing ot to covid. Covid wasn’t that serious bot

[@jacka7275]

They are stylish and intimidating. Why do you think no one stops Bob the Necromancer from doing his unboxings

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Same here

[@NoSuffix]

Interesting! I used to think that those figures were the symbol of death during plagues. Turns out close enough considering < 40% survival rate.

[@jessicajayes8326]

I remember when beaked masks became fashionable during the pandemic. I made some cute masks but they weren't like that. I was very careful and got vaccinated as soon as I could. When I did get sick, I donned my masks again and didn't make direct contact with anyone for 8 days. Nobody got sick from me!

[@adamarce4593]

you're such a virtuous human being! Thank god for you! Make sure you get your 17th jab or I'm revoking your virtue card!

[@HIFLY01]

Gets vaccine, still gets sick

[@thepopulationofkazakhstan1116]

@@HIFLY01 doesn't get vaccinated, dies...

[@HIFLY01]

@@thepopulationofkazakhstan1116 I mean I'm fine. Haven't gotten sick either lol. You missing all the reports and what they're finding out on the rushed vaccines?

[@MayTheSchwartzBeWithYou]

@@adamarce4593 Clown 🤡

[@puncifikator3870]

the copper in the beak is actually smart. pure copper metal kills bacteria and viruses so it would theoretically work though obviously it would also pose a health risk to the user

[@elizakimori8720]

These masks were used in the Netherlands (+Belgium) too, museums are filled with them

[@the-id9vo]

this is would be the most terrifying thing to see while sick

[@thenoobimatorguy]

True I would be scared to death even though I knew that I would already die

[@devalsinhsindha8626]

It was so needed to appreciate the advancement of medical science. Knowledge has ended sufferings of the world. Believe it or not, not even Alexander had the luxury of sitting under fan, flying like bird, or even treat himself of malaria or typhoid and here we are, 200 dollars and you are in air (A380). Wow!

[@joaoostroski4778]

0 dollars if you live in the U.S too! we have a lot of technology, it's just that we need to make it more available to the general population, that is a whole other problem.

[@rooploverence]

Nothing like going home after school and watching some TED-Ed

[@Guru_1092]

Surprised that they weren't more widespread actually. I wonder which physician came up with the idea for the garb and beak combo first.

[@paulg3336]

The beak masks were more popular than the snout and trunk versions

[@Snowman_44]

Who knew a doctor's outift would look this cool

[@Gabriel-jg5wh]

I just can’t imagine in the next few hundred or even thousand what doctors will be wearing. Ofc if earth survives

[@robinharwood5044]

It was a well-thought out hazmat suit.

[@welern2liv815]

At first I thought it was so the Dr. could smoke his cigar while treating his patients, lol!

[@brileymoreno4108]

I’ve always been so into the looks of those mysterious outfits. Maybe I’ll give it a shot for Halloween next year 🤔

[@ksr1581]

I love this artstyle. Never stop making videos with this style, Ted-Ed!

[@CobaltBob]

Blackened Pus sounds like a great band name.

[@Friendship1nmillion]

And their latest hit be " There's no cure for you " . 😏🥁♑️✍️🇦🇺🇳🇴

[@HayTatsuko]

Today I, a player of Final Fantasy XIV, finally learned what the heck a pomander actually is -- along with a whole lot of other stuff! Thanks, TED-Ed!

[@tophatteddd]

@@kuromika_ they were just thanking the channel, no need to be like that

[@Junniebug]

@@kuromika_ your life must be very sad if your pastimes include insulting others' passions and hobbies haha

[@HayTatsuko]

@@kuromika_ I do believe you have leapt to an entirely unfounded conclusion here. My userpic doesn't reference FFXIV at all, for example. Was just appreciating finding the basis for one of the many things in the game that are based on real-world lore and history.

[@vampoftrance]

You can make your own from an orange and a bag of cloves. Dry it out and the scent is beautiful. We made one at school, as in old days people had odor and carried them like perfume. Good luck.

[@hp1221WTF]

Whatever you think about the plague doctors and their medicine practices... You have to admit that an angry crowman chasing a skeleton to wack it with a stick its pretty funny

[@chrominox]

Woah. I did not know that. Thank you, TED Ed for the video.

[@micahbush5397]

It's kind of interesting that much of what we think of as "Dark Age superstition" was actually just people working under the assumptions of Classical authorities like Galen who were thought to be too brilliant to be challenged. (It's also fascinating how many things we associate with the Middle Ages, like these Plague suits and people never bathing, are actually from later periods that we think of as being more "enlightened." Actually, the topic of bathing in the Middle Ages would make an interesting video topic.)

[@goosegoose5737]

Ok but to be honest if a giant crow man came to stand over me while I was severely ill I would automatically assume my time had come

[@shainalite]

Woaa I'm reading a book with plague doctor in it and wondered why they put beak on their costumes, then you uploaded this video. Thank you!!

[@V0calSweet3]

“It’s now unlikely that another massive outbreak will occur” COVID: Am I a joke to you?

[@samthomas6786]

Yes

[@republicofdegenerocita8704]

It said plague outbreak

[@erickuykendall8755]

Yes it was

[@MaftunaIsmonjonova-pq7lt]

This channel's videos so clear. I love it 😉

[@cespu_iv4519]

From what I remember, they wore them with perfumes at the end of the beaks because they thought the plague was transmitted by air, and that was supposed to stop it.

[@Blue-gp3vn]

Strong-smelling herbs

[@CBiscuit221B]

If I can't smell it it's not there lol

[@cespu_iv4519]

@@Blue-gp3vn Guess my memory was contaminated by miasma

[@rickseiden1]

That's the miasma that they were talking about (the bad air that transmitted the plague).

[@Yusso]

You don't need to remember, just watch the video.

[@psykolikwid]

Thanks to all doctors, esp the plague doctors and their stylish gear!!

[@Alfie_chat]

Thank you for making this, I've been busy at the moment with writing a essay about plague doctor's, and this helped me alot, thanks 👍

[@stevelast]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGGqZZaMhKmsoqM

[@lucascasagrandepassonilope9473]

This video is amazing, i loved that. Keep doing this. It's incredible

[@bongocat6902]

im currently doing history for GCSE and this is now my go-to revision source when it comes to medicine in the medieval era! Thanks TED ED xoxox

[@lemonicowo]

hey! plague doctors were early modern era, not quite medieval!! unless you mean the ted ed channel in general or something else, then ignore me :) good luck on your gcse’s!!! u got this

[@paradise89]

When I first saw plague doctors, I thought they were horror movie characters 😅😅

[@Wolf_Blob]

I knew this thing, but it's always a good thing seeing your interesting videos for more information, thank you!

[@robarksey2070]

Thank you, this is one of those things i always wondered about but always forget to look up why.

[@Chino239_]

Very interesting. Always wondered about that mask and it’s origins

[@andrewhall7930]

One day, Ted-Ed will do a 5 minute piece on the time (Aug/07/1994) it rained white ooze in Oakville Washington. The ooze fell for about 3 days covering a few square miles and made people extremely sick. To this day there are conflicting theories as to what caused the rain, from Naval experiments to exploding jellyfish. Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack did a piece about that's worth checking out. It happened so long ago, I'm sure there have been developments...

[@TheWanderstar]

This is the first time in history that I already knew the answer to TED-Ed's question.

[@Kenneth.Neil0513]

Thank you TED ED for bringing somehow a tribute for medical frontliner, like me. ❤

[@ThePinguPenguin]

Ted Ed has the answers to everything ❤

[@smhdpt12]

Or you know, Wikipedia. Better yet, heard of a library??

[@halicusnguyen8864]

@@smhdpt12 some people enjoy a visual complement to their education

[@abstract5249]

But can they see why kids love cinnamon toast crunch?

[@Neptune_16]

I already know why but their videos are literally so good

[@l.n.3372]

I always think of Plague Knight when I see these masks xD Enjoyed the video! Great animation, as always.

[@milliefleur]

Well yeah, there’s a reason he’s called Plague Night!

[@1anibanana2]

This is amazing keep up the good work. Ive subed to you for 4 years and i love ur vids plsss make more vidss ☺️☺️☺️😍

[@haybail7618]

ive questioned this for ages and never bothered to look it up. thank you algorithm!

[@Nagatem]

Doctor Bird is always so cool looking

[@ireneyoung4468]

As someone who recently watched the Great Plague doco and currently into SCP-049 and other SCPs, 3rd time found a TED video related to what happened around me in a few weeks. 😯

[@Priority57]

During Halloween I had seen this one individual walking around in this type of outfit along with the stick they used back then.. It was really creepy to see this.

[@j.d.4697]

An awesome and inspiring creation.

[@NOOBCRASTINATOR69]

Our generation gives more importance to cool things rather than important or useful ones!!!

[@adamnedrose1285]

True but that's just the law of numbers. Not everybody can focus on the important ones.

[@NOOBCRASTINATOR69]

@@adamnedrose1285 why not?

[@SpartanZotack]

Sad but true.

[@MyBelch]

The politicization of medicine over the past few years will be a cloud hanging over an erstwhile respectable profession for many decades.

[@whitearabianhorses]

Your sound effects for the fleas sound adorable 😍!!

[@elle7503]

It was just fvckin wild, remembering one day being so empty and obviously life changing everywhere, but then you snap out of it and all of a sudden everyone and everythings back to normal

[@valerieryu1923]

Oh my God thank you so much I’ve always wondered why they used those

[@lowenzahn3976]

Probably also helped against the stench.

[@cameraamnhac]

hello friends

[@WeCodeCurious]

Just the shape of those masks like a vampire bird was one of my many nightmares when I was a kid, when I saw it on a picture book.

[@GKP999]

Thank you to all who work earnestly in ensuring the good health of the citizenry.

[@aishana6626]

now i understand why that exorbitant beak was needed😂 . Really useful though

[@hitman007]

Thanks to all health providers 🌹

[@facuuu2809]

Summing up the plague doctor in a quote for me would be like: "we work in the dark to serve the light"

[@Kisamon]

The doctor: You have the plague. The guy: Sire, I knew that I got the plague.

[@ahmedhazem7553]

they had weird brains in the old days

[@gailaltschwager7377]

Thank you!

[@alexlea3161]

Thank you for telling me this I’ve been studying on the old doctors and the plague I know who to watch now

[@respect-really]

Very interesting video 👍thanks for sharing my friend 🙏😇👍

[@wingspantt]

Thank you Assassins Creed Brotherhood for placing this costume in the correct time and place.

[@Novabloxfruits]

love u guys

[@wingmantalks]

I love you guys!

[@lauradecesare6226]

Their duck-face masks were even weirder-looking than ours. :)

[@alicedimitro]

I've learned more from Ted-Ed than school

[@Free_Based_]

then either; • the public schooling systems are broken •your teachers aren't doing their jobs well • answers A & B •or you're not doing it right, do your homework and clean your room, treat you parents right, you have good times for all and great honor will be restored to family sempi

[@melanie.notmel]

Thank you. This was interesting.

[@Holmani]

I always thought that these masks was related to cults

[@itskylayuh-9494]

Kinda me to

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

They are

[@MixtureWasTaken]

Now I don’t want to sleep. They actually look terrifying.

[@cabbage_cat]

wrong, they were bird people

[@joaogarcia1177]

Despite the macabre origin of the outfit, it is quite cool in appearance, my next dnd character will be wearing it.

[@iamgreatalwaysgreat8209]

They looked absolutely beautiful

[@vladimusredikson3032]

epic video but these were also used in England, not much but there's documentation of one or two plague doctors in the French apparel, great video and thanks for the kind words about doctors

[@caitlinhinch4549]

I hope they still do this costume

[@VenularSilver]

so interesting and love the animation

[@user-yo7eq2ii9i]

Thanks doctors, scientists, engineers for not giving up.. I love this artstyle. Never stop making videos with this style, Ted-Ed!.

[@uremcolo9489]

Medicine is definitely a very noble course 💖💕💕

[@srushteesatardey9478]

I always wanted to know this. Thanks ted ed

[@ivanangeli]

great video, with good point

[@kta_0187]

Highkey those utfits looks better than Hazmat.

[@rasimismailov6401]

A huge like to the doctors worldwide!

[@nerdlingeeksly5192]

I mean I can personally say that draining sites of infection of moisture and bacteria, as well as immediately sterilize the site and applying sterile bandages after helps me to heal faster.

[@lhamaseveramenteirritada9760]

2:11 *vaal hazak theme starts playing*

[@syedfaizan1205]

Every TedEd video is basically shower thoughts but thoroughly explained

[@ErnestJay88]

i knew before watching this video, herbs and perfume are on those beak, but "plague doctor" really looks scary, no wonder people at that time scared when they see a "beaked mysterious man" come to their town or villages.

[@Wizards586]

My halloween costume