Plague Doctors: Dark History

Plague doctors were tasked with dealing with the victims of the Bubonic Plague throughout the centuries of outbreaks in Europe and elsewhere. However, there was no cure for the disease that ravaged the continent.

The costume of a plague doctor featured an all-leather ensemble, a beak-like mask stuffed with burning herbs, and a top hat — which signaled that the person was, in fact, a doctor.

The Black Death was the deadliest epidemic of bubonic plague in history, wiping out some 25 million Europeans alone in just a few years. Out of desperation, cities hired a new breed of physician — so-called plague doctors — who were either second-rate physicians, young physicians with limited experience, or who had no certified medical training at all.

What was important was the plague doctor was willing to venture into plague-stricken areas and tally the number of dead. After more than 250 years fighting the plague, hope did finally arrive with the invention of the 17th-century equivalent of a hazmat suit. Unfortunately, it didn’t work very well.

Symbolism:

Note the similar appearance of a Plague Doctor's mask to a Crow:

The crow is seen as a negative omen only recently and mostly in Europe.

For the Celts, the crow was sacred and meant the flesh torn by fighting. As he eats carrion, the welsh poetry uses the metaphor "the crow pierced you" to say "you have died". They thought crows escorted the sun during his nocturnal path, that is to say in Hell. So they were a symbol of evil, contrary to swans, symbolizing purity.

In Babylon, the crow was the name of the 13th month of the calendar, and he had a very negative value.

For the Greeks, the crow was too gossipy. That's why Athena replaced him with the owl, to stay with her. The crow was also devoted to Apollo. The god sent him to the aquatic world, to bring back water. The crow discovered a fig tree whose fruits were not ripe yet, so he waited near the tree to eat ripe figs instead of accomplishing his task . He was punished for his disobedience and egotism : Apollo placed him in the constellations, but the hydra prevented him from drinking the cup : he is condemned to thirst.

In the Bible, the crow is sent by Noah to search earth after the flood. But the crow didn't told Noé that the flood was finished. So he is considered selfish. Saint Golowin thought that in Paradise, the crows had multicoloured wings. But after Adam and Eve were driven away from the Paradise, the crows started to eat carrion. So they became black-feathered. At the end of time, the crows will find their beauty again and sing harmoniously to praise God.

In the Middle-Ages, it was said that crows neglect their young; as he eats carrion, he is seen as a bad omen.

In India, in the Mahâbhârata, the messengers of death are compared to crows. In Laos, the water soiled by crows can't be used for ritual purification.

Mirrored from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShGKkDuCgAs
History Uncovered YT Channel

Further Info:

Inside The Terrifying But Necessary Job Of A Medieval Plague Doctor:
https://allthatsinteresting.com/plague-doctors

https://plaguedoctormasks.com/history/

Secrets Behind the Creepy Plague Doctor Mask and Costume:
https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-ancient-technology/secrets-behind-plague-doctor-mask-terrifying-costume-009201

Symbolism of the Crow in Different Cultures
https://alkman1.blogspot.com/2007/07/symbolism-of-crow-in-different-cultures.html