Face masks to prevent infectious diseases: an historico-anthropological perspective in the light of the recent pandemic

Much attention has been paid to the role of the surgical mask in helping control the COVID-19 pandemic. Today there is a discussion about whether to continue wearing them or not. In the meantime, different models have been manufactured, in different colours and materials. They have been coped and counterfeited. The mask is nothing new, but its use has changed over the ages, reflecting different purposes. With the miasma theory doctors protected themselves with clothing and a beaked hood that contained aromatic substances to counteract the miasma. With Pasteur's Germ Theory, the use of masks aimed to stop infection spreading during medical care. The Spanish Flu epidemic was the when the general public was advised to wear masks. The onset of antibiotics reduces the interest in masks which has changed significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic.