Kangaroo Felt Material Plague Doctor Hat

While plague doctors may seem like a character on a satirical television show or a part of a modern-day viral meme, at one point they were an integral part of society. During the bubonic plague in the medieval age, cities and towns hired plague doctors to treat patients regardless of their income. Plague doctors weren’t always experienced physicians, however. Often, they were new doctors starting their career or sometimes had other jobs prior to becoming a plague doctor, such as a fruit salesman.

While their name suggests that plague doctors actually treated their victims, that wasn’t actually the case. While they did provide some medical intervention, such as bloodletting, their main task was to help the city record death tolls as a part of the public record. As such, plague doctors were not typically liked by their communities

Plague doctors have become almost a mythical part of history thanks to their unique and eye-catching costume. This consisted of a long overcoat and a bird-like beak mask, with a wide-brimmed top hat and gloves. The mask was a form of respirator and designed to hold dried flowers to cover the stench of their patients, which at the time was believed to cause their illness. Plague doctors also used a long cane, but not to assist them in walking. It was used for examining patients without actually having to touch them. The plague doctor hat was more of a symbol of their profession. Doctors typically wore top hats with a wide brim at the time. If you’re looking to recreate the plague doctor look, the plague doctor hat is an essential part of the iconic and legendary costume.