Witches, Midwives, and Nurses: A History of Women Healers

These flashcards encompass key terms and definitions presented in the lecture on the history of women healers, focusing on the persecution of witches, the rise of male-dominated medical professions, and the evolution of healthcare practices.

Witch hunts

Campaigns of terror directed against women, often leading to executions based on accusations of witchcraft.

Malleus Maleficarum

A treatise on witch hunting, used by church and state to organize witch trials.

Peasant healers

Lay individuals who practiced healing within the community, often targeted during witch hunts.

Empiricism

The practice of relying on observation and experience in knowledge and studies, as opposed to religious doctrine.

Professionalization of medicine

The process by which medical practice became dominated by university-trained men, displacing female healers.

The Popular Health Movement

A grassroots movement in the 1830s and 1840s advocating for accessible healthcare and preventive care, largely driven by women.

Obstetrical forceps

Surgical instruments used in childbirth, believed to contribute to the male takeover of midwifery.

Ergot

A fungus used as a painkiller during labor, derived from the use of witch healing practices.

Homunculus

An early medieval concept suggesting that a male's contribution in reproduction was complete, while the female's role was passive.

Witch as healer

The dual role of women accused of witchcraft who were also practicing healing arts.