15. Plague Doctors
During medieval plagues, physicians donned beaked masks to treat the sick, risking deadly infections due to limited medical knowledge. These early frontline workers symbolize both the hazards and heroism of health care in times of epidemic. The beak of the mask was filled with aromatic substances like dried flowers and herbs, believed to purify the air and protect the wearer from miasma, the “bad air” thought to spread disease (nationalgeographic.com).
