This afternoon, Year 6 (Dragonfly class) were graced by a Plague Doctor from the medieval times, who talked to them about some fascinating (and gruesome) facts as part of their topic on The History of Medicine. This strangely dressed visitor explained how people in the medieval times believed that there was bad air and bad smells that came from the gods and which caused illnesses and that when they wanted to get better they went to the barbers to have their wounds seen to (yuk!). They thought you would be safe from disease if you wore a mask (rather apt) but it was in fact rats and fleas which actually caused the disastrous plague (Black Death). The children also found out that people threw their sewerage waste into the streets, not realising that this also spread nasty diseases and ended up being trodden into people’s clothes and shoes and homes. All in all, an inciteful and informative lesson! Our Year 6 pupils are still wondering who this mysterious visitor actually was…