Johannes Jacobi

Johannes Jacobi and the Earliest Mention of Plague Doctor Masks (1373)

In 1373, Johannes Jacobi, a physician, made one of the earliest known references to plague doctors wearing masks. He recommended their use as a protective measure against the plague but did not describe their appearance.

This suggests that the concept of plague doctors wearing masks predates the famous 17th-century beaked design, though the exact form and function of these early masks remain unknown.