Video - Bird-Brained Protection: The Bizarre Beak Masks of the Black Death

Did you know that during the Black Death in the Middle Ages, people believed that wearing a beak-like mask filled with herbs would protect them from the disease? Doctors would stuff the beak with flowers, vinegar-soaked sponges, and other strong-smelling substances to ward off the deadly miasma. The masks also had glass eyeholes and a long beak to protect the face from the foul odors thought to spread the disease. This bizarre fashion statement was all the rage and believed to be a lifesaver during the deadly pandemic. Pretty "bird-brained," don't you think?