That's myth with no basis in fact.
Witch-trials were based on mass-hysteria, superstition, the flawed assumption that children don't lie (we still have a special word in swedish denoting children telling lies they themselves believe in, and who in turn are believed solely on the basis on being children: visgossar, meaning "wise boys", bu…
Witch-trials were based on mass-hysteria, superstition, the flawed assumption that children don't lie (we still have a special word in swedish denoting children telling lies they themselves believe in, and who in turn are believed solely on the basis on being children: visgossar, meaning "wise boys", but also "boys singing tall tales"), the laws regarding heterodoxy, apostasy and so on, and last but in no way least secular law being heavily influenced by Moaic law via the Bible.
The entire thing had more or less petered out by the end of the 17th century, though there were stray cases that virtually never led to more than a round of questioning for the sake of form, and in 1779 capital punishment for "Compact with Satan" (which was the actual crime people were accused of) was abolished.
And mostly, the clergy was opposed to the whole thing since it led people to believe Satan actually held real power and could affect the faithful - not the message they wanted to convey.
I was using "witch" very liberally to represent women skilled in herbal/botanical remedies and the threat they were to professional doctoring, and not specifically. But the image of the creepy old lady in the woods really grew from clever old ladies in the or with access to the woods who had ways of independent thinking.
Abortifacients were well-known and used before the Church came in with its suppressions of dangerous knowledge that was extremely useful to women.
Of course plenty of "traditional" therapeutic practices were awful, but plenty of others were based on common sense. You look at those birthing stools from the olden days. Every time I see one of those damned scenes in a movie/TV show of a woman in labor, screaming from her supine position stuck in a bed and the doctors thwarting gravity at every turn, I really get pissed off. I'm no fan of the home birth movement, and good medical care with every necessary tool available in case it's needed at a second's notice is something I strongly approve of, but there's always some modern "improvement" that ain't.
"Independent thinking" has ALWAYS been a crime. Punishment, of course, has varied slightly over time, from the medieval boiling in oil, or the traditional burning at the stake, to the modern "cancelation". But the goal has ALWAYS been to eliminate independent thought. The "witches" of yore were tortured because what they did often WORKED. Which is more than could be said of the practices of the medical establishment of the day!
My wife chose to have home births for our babies. Originally, I was skeptical as well, sharing your opinion of medical care, but the experience completely changed my mind. As home birth advocates often say, "if you aren't sick, you shouldn't go to a hospital."
That's myth with no basis in fact.
Witch-trials were based on mass-hysteria, superstition, the flawed assumption that children don't lie (we still have a special word in swedish denoting children telling lies they themselves believe in, and who in turn are believed solely on the basis on being children: visgossar, meaning "wise boys", but also "boys singing tall tales"), the laws regarding heterodoxy, apostasy and so on, and last but in no way least secular law being heavily influenced by Moaic law via the Bible.
The entire thing had more or less petered out by the end of the 17th century, though there were stray cases that virtually never led to more than a round of questioning for the sake of form, and in 1779 capital punishment for "Compact with Satan" (which was the actual crime people were accused of) was abolished.
And mostly, the clergy was opposed to the whole thing since it led people to believe Satan actually held real power and could affect the faithful - not the message they wanted to convey.
And men were accused in equal amounts.
I was using "witch" very liberally to represent women skilled in herbal/botanical remedies and the threat they were to professional doctoring, and not specifically. But the image of the creepy old lady in the woods really grew from clever old ladies in the or with access to the woods who had ways of independent thinking.
Abortifacients were well-known and used before the Church came in with its suppressions of dangerous knowledge that was extremely useful to women.
Of course plenty of "traditional" therapeutic practices were awful, but plenty of others were based on common sense. You look at those birthing stools from the olden days. Every time I see one of those damned scenes in a movie/TV show of a woman in labor, screaming from her supine position stuck in a bed and the doctors thwarting gravity at every turn, I really get pissed off. I'm no fan of the home birth movement, and good medical care with every necessary tool available in case it's needed at a second's notice is something I strongly approve of, but there's always some modern "improvement" that ain't.
"Independent thinking" has ALWAYS been a crime. Punishment, of course, has varied slightly over time, from the medieval boiling in oil, or the traditional burning at the stake, to the modern "cancelation". But the goal has ALWAYS been to eliminate independent thought. The "witches" of yore were tortured because what they did often WORKED. Which is more than could be said of the practices of the medical establishment of the day!
My wife chose to have home births for our babies. Originally, I was skeptical as well, sharing your opinion of medical care, but the experience completely changed my mind. As home birth advocates often say, "if you aren't sick, you shouldn't go to a hospital."
Whatever works for the individual, sure. But those advocates are being specious in what they say. Fanaticism in anything is never good.
Here you go again, R - ruining a perfectly good myth with facts. Next thing we know, you'll be questioning "the science", or something.