The barber-surgeon would have seen many people die from disease without being able to cure them.

There isn't much he could do about diseases like the flux (dysentery) or the mysterious sweating sickness.

An epidemic of the plague could kill thousands of people, and no one knew what caused it.

Some people thought it was caused by bad air and carried pomanders full of sweet herbs and spices to keep the smells away.

Would you like to learn more about the plague?