Plague Doctors

Emerging from the darkness and fog, three figures in black coats, dark hats,  and white beaked masks approach. They may look like nightmares, but these are plague doctors. They're here to help...right? The leader of the three holds a bright lantern in one hand and a strange looking cane in the other. For doctors, they seem to oddly resemble the grim reaper.

Plague Doctors where Medieval and Renaissance physicians who treated victims of the black death and other outbreaks of plagues (particularly the bubonic plague). They generally

consisted of somewhat second rate doctors and were more used to determine numbers of infected rather than to actually cure people. 

Though they were around for centuries before, the costume they wore was invented in the 17th century. The mask was to protect them and had glass eyes and a beak that would be filled with herbs, straw and spices.  They would often carry canes that would allow them to examine patients from a bit of distance.