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, narrated by George Zaidan, music by Samuel Bellingham].

 TED-Ed: Why plague doctors wore beaked masks

Why plague doctors wore beaked masks

The iconic plague doctor's beak mask, filled with herbs, was believed to ward off 'miasma' or bad air, thought to spread the plague.

Despite medical misconceptions, plague doctors' leather attire and masks might have offered unintended protection against flea bites.

17th-century plague doctors' beaked masks, believed to protect against miasma, are exquisitely explored in historical context.