This cavity measuring about half foot in length, had 2 small vent holes, and its shape was very similar to beaks of birds. These masks have lenses on the eyes and a long cavity in the nose, which was filled with drugs and aromatic items. In the 17th and 18th centuries the plague doctors invented masks to protect themselves from “bad air” and prevent contagion. Nostradamus was a reference to stop the Black Death pandemic. The most famous plague doctor was Nostradamus, who gave advice such as removing infected corpses, get some fresh air, drink clean water, drink a juice made with rose hips, and do not bleed the patient. To treat the sick they did bloodletting, leeches and toads were used every day, but this was not effective. They cared for the sick, got rid of the corpses, did autopsies, and they had a listing on the public register of deaths caused by the plague. Given the risk of this task, was very difficult to find people prepared to do the work, many of them died and others fled. When there were not enough doctors, people from other professions were hired to assist the infected. These doctors were hired by the villages, and they took care of citizens of all social classes, rich and poor. To stop the pandemic was born the plague doctor, who were doctors specializing in care for those infected by this disease. The pandemic of bubonic plague was so huge that the whole society changed, ending the days of the Middle Ages and giving rise to the Renaissance. The primary means of spread of the plague were flea bites, which were hidden in clothing and textiles. The Black Death was born from an evolution of the bacterium Yersinia Pestis, which had its own pandemic in the year 500, known as the Plague of Justinian. In the beginning it was thought that the Jewish community were the cause of this new disease, so many civilians began Jewish pogroms. The economy practically disappeared and social chaos was present. Entire villages were deserted when all its inhabitants died. Fishing and commercial boats remained directionless with all the dead crew. In sieges infected corpses were thrown into the city with catapults. The fourteenth century had devastating moments because of the plague. In 1331 the plague reached to China, in 1338 to Russia, in 1342 to India, and finally in 1346 reached to the European continent, no one could stop it. The plague also affected Eastern countries, but did not reach the American or African continents.īubonic plague was discovered in 1320 in the Gobi Desert. The first cases of bubonic plague, or Black Death were discovered in the 14th century and it is the most devastating pandemic in the history of humanity, which affected the whole of Europe killing 60% of Europeans, died 50 million people of a total of 80 million inhabitants, according to data from researcher Diane Zahler. History History of Black Death The Black Death

The plague doctor 2016