Ironically, the word “quarantine” owes its existence to Venice’s history, a term born from the city’s response to the plague. These are the casette da contumacia. Venice faced repeated outbreaks of the bubonic plague. The many islands on the outskirts of the city, the long-beaked masks, and even the word quarantine come from this time in history. Venice was a major commercial hub and trading center in Europe. It was essentially where trade with the East met Europe.
These extensive trade networks made the city vulnerable to the spread of diseases. Boats came up the Adriatic from all over the world. A major exchange of people meant an exchange of germs. Venice was one of the European cities hit worst by the Black Death.
In response to the outbreak, Venetian authorities implemented strict quarantine measures. They isolated infected individuals and their families in designated areas. They identified islands known as Lazzaretto, where they would send individuals for quarantine.
Venice’s plague history is still visible in many ways throughout the city. Two of these islands, Lazzaretto Vecchio and Lazzaretto Nuovo, still exist and are open to visitors. Venice had strict quarantine measures. People suspected of being infected were sent to designated islands in the Venetian lagoon. Venice’s plague masks are a distinctive part of the city’s history and culture. Physicians wore these masks during outbreaks of plague, particularly in the later outbreaks of the 17th and 18th centuries.
The “doctor’s mask” featured a bird-like beak made of leather or metal. It covered the wearer’s nose and mouth. The “beak” was filled with aromatic herbs, like mint, cloves, and rose petals. These were believed to protect the wearer from the terrible smell of sickness and death that were thought to spread disease. Plague masks also had glass eyepieces. These allowed the wearer to see while protecting themselves from infection. Doctors wore long, flowing robes and gloves to cover as much skin as they could.
Quarantine originated in 14th-century Venice, during a period of repeated outbreaks of the bubonic plague. The word comes from the Italian word “quaranta giorni”. That means “40 days.” The Venetian Republic required all ships arriving in the city to anchor offshore for 40 days. That was before allowing passengers and crew to come into the city. This isolation prevented the spread of plague from foreign ports. It was known as “quarantena” in Italian. This practice proved effective in controlling the spread of disease. It was soon adopted around Europe. Over time, the period of isolation has changed for every situation. The term “quarantine” remained.
Lazzaretto Vecchio, established in 1423, was Venice’s first quarantine and hospital facility. It was used for leprosy and then the bubonic plague. The small island of 2.53 hectares lies very close to the inner side of the Lido. It is opposite the Via Riva del Corinto, a ferry-point to the island. In 1468, another island, Lazzaretto Nuovo, was established. It was for the quarantine of ship crews and the decontamination of their cargo. Subsequent outbreaks of bubonic plague in 1576 and 1630 severely impacted the city. During these times, the island of Poveglia was used as a third location for quarantining and interring the plague victims.