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. — 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.