Witches and Nursing/Midwifery

 Throughout various accounts of witch accusations and trials, one of the reasons individuals were accused were for having magical powers to affect health - harming and healing. 



In the 18th and 19th centuries, healthcare and healing was often provided by women who were sometimes referred to as wise women, healers, cunning women, and midwives.  In the 19th century, America had a rise of the male medical profession which is by some reports, suspected to be linked to female witchcraft accusations. 

As a nursing major, I have always been interested in effective non-pharmacological therapies, so I decided to look into some that were used by wise women and midwives during the time of the witch trials. Some natural and herbal remedies used by healers included: 

  • Ergot: labor pains/speed
    • Today: ergot derivatives still used today to hasten labor
  • Belladonna (AKA nightshade): inhibit uterine contractiosn
    • Today: 
      • anti-spasmodic
      • dilating pupils for eye exams/surgeries
      • atropine derivative

  • Foxglove: heart and circulation treatment
    • Today:
      • increases cardiac contractility
      • antiarrthymic (treats A fib)


One example of a cunning women who was suspected of witchcraft is Tamsin Blight, who worked with her husband James Thomas. The two were consulted by many seeking healing of humans and cattle using herbs. It is also said she would distribute healing charms. 


There is also the story of Agnes Sampsoune, who was a well-known midwife in Scotland who ended up in the North Berwick witchcraft trials, and was interrogated by King James VI. After King James VI published a book about black magic and advocating for witches to be persecuted in a Christian Society, Scotland's pursuit of witches took off. 

In my research, I came across Nicola Ring's project in which she used the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft to find that out of the 3,00 people on the database, 142 of the accused had witchcraft crimes related to healing or midwifery practices. In these trial records, the focus was on the harm the healer or midwife was said to cause, such as the death of someone they had been caring for and were thereby accused of poisoning. In contrast, when they had success in caring for a patient and the patient was healed, this was used as evidence of a pact with the devil. 

It is disheartening to think that some were accused of witchcraft for helping to care for the sick and assisting with childbirth. It seems that at this time, healers and midwives could not win, as success or failure in a patient's outcome could be used in witch accusations. 

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