History Bits : The Plague Doctor

Have you heard of this wonderful children song where everyone holds the hands of the person next to them and they move to their right, forming a circle then tumble down according to the song?

The song goes:

Ring around the rosy

A pocketful of posies

"A-tishoo, A-tishoo"

We all fall down!

Ring Around the Rosy Rhyme

Origins of "Ring around the rosy" in English History has its connections to the Bubonic Plague (Black Death).

The words to the Ring around the rosy children's ring game have their origin in English history . The historical period dates back to the Great Plague of London in 1665 (bubonic plague) or even before when the first outbreak of the Plague hit England in the 1300's.

The symptoms of the plague included a rosy red rash in the shape of a ring on the skin (Ring around the rosy). Pockets and pouches were filled with sweet smelling herbs ( or posies) which were carried due to the belief that the disease was transmitted by bad smells. The term "Ashes Ashes" refers to the cremation of the dead bodies! The death rate was over 60% and the plague was only halted by the Great Fire of London in 1666 which killed the rats which carried the disease which was transmitting via water sources. The English version of "Ring around the rosy" replaces Ashes with (A-tishoo, A-tishoo) as violent sneezing was another symptom of the disease. We recommend the following site for comprehensive information regarding the Bubonic Plague.

http://www.william-shakespeare.info/bubonic-black-plague-elizabethan-era.htm

The Plague Doctors!

The searching about the origin of the song lead me to greater findings...the existence of the bloody weird looking physicans known as...the plague doctors!
 
And looked how they inspired modern days...

Costumes by renowed Tom Banwell.

Vinyl toy of the plague doctor.

Last but not least...

Spy vs. Spy

Don't they looked like plague doctors??? I am sure the artist got inspired too.

Sources from here:
http://www.rhymes.org.uk/ring_around_the_rosy.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_doctor
http://www.william-shakespeare.info/bubonic-black-plague-elizabethan-era.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kintzertorium/2832992668/in/gallery-batgrl-72157622435907426/

Tom Banwell - Costume creator

To be very honest, there are much arguments about whether the song "Ring a ring a rosy" is related to the Black Plague or not. I will like to think it is related. Even though the first recorded printing of the song was much later than the black plague. But who knows? Children's been singing it even before the plague. It's been passed down by words of mouth until someone decided to pen it down.