i am the ninamonster

jeffborden:

aspiringauteur:

During the Bubonic Plague, doctors wore these bird-like masks to avoid becoming sick. They would fill the beaks with spices and rose petals, so they wouldn’t have to smell the rotting bodies. 

A theory during the Bubonic Plague was that the plague was caused by evil spirits. To scare the spirits away, the masks were intentionally designed to be creepy. 

Most of the larger, more “established,” institutions, like the Paris Medical University blamed uncontrollable forces like astronomy (this is largely tied to the contemporary theories of the four humors). In some prescriptive/preventative pamphlets, physicians said the plague could be contracted from breathing too much, enjoying sex, general sinning and eating food. A few published theories (by respected doctors) even blamed evildoers smashing viles filled with magical potion on rocks.

If you wanted to freak children out (or adults like me) on halloween you would stand in the middle of your driveway wearing this not moving.  I guarantee nobody would come up to you.