You’ve probably heard the story. A wise woman in a small village gathers herbs, helps her neighbor through a grueling labor, and then, suddenly, the church shows up with torches. It's a trope. But honestly, the real history of witches midwives and nurses is way more complicated than just "evil men hated smart women." It’s a story about power, the birth of modern medicine, and a massive shift in who we trust with our bodies.
History isn't a straight line. It's a jumble of local customs, religious panic, and the slow rise of professional guilds. When we talk about these women, we aren't just talking about folk magic. We’re talking about the primary healthcare providers for the vast majority of the human population for basically a thousand years.
The Myth of the "Witch-Midwife"
For a long time, historians—and especially 1970s feminist writers like Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English—argued that the Great Witch Hunts were specifically designed to eliminate midwives. Their pamphlet Witches, Midwives, and Nurses became a massive touchstone for the women’s health movement. It’s a powerful narrative. It suggests that the "witch" was actually just a female healer who knew too much about contraception or pain relief, and the emerging male medical establishment wanted her gone to corner the market.
Is it true? Well, sort of. But also, not really.
Current historical consensus, led by scholars like David Harley, suggests that midwives weren't actually the primary targets of the witch trials. In many cases, midwives were the ones finding the "witch's mark" on the accused. They were often considered pillars of the community, sworn by the church to ensure babies were baptized and that no foul play occurred during delivery.
However, the overlap between "healer" and "witch" was undeniably there. If you had the power to heal, people assumed you had the power to curse. It’s two sides of the same coin. If a baby died under a midwife's care in the 16th century, was it a biological tragedy or a supernatural attack? In a world without germ theory, the line was paper-thin.
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When Medicine Became a "Man's Job"
The real shift didn't happen because of a bonfire. It happened because of a piece of paper: the medical degree.
By the 13th and 14th centuries, universities began popping up across Europe. They taught "medicine" based on Galen and Aristotle—lots of theories about humors and phlegm, and very little actual touching of patients. Because women were barred from universities, they were legally barred from practicing "medicine."
This created a weird, two-tiered system. You had the "Physicians," who were university-educated men who mostly looked at urine samples and talked in Latin. Then you had the "empirics"—the women, the barbers, the herbalists—who actually did the work. They set bones. They extracted teeth. They sat with the dying.
The physicians hated the empirics. Not because the empirics were bad at their jobs, but because they were competition. In 1421, a petition was presented to the English Parliament demanding that "no woman use the practice of physic." It wasn't about safety. It was about monopoly.
The Rise of the Professional Nurse
Fast forward a few centuries, and the landscape changed again. The "witch" was a distant memory, but the "midwife" was under siege by the "man-midwife" and his new toy: forceps.
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Forceps were a secret for a long time, kept by the Chamberlen family. They could save lives during obstructed labors, but they also gave men a physical tool that women weren't "supposed" to use. This pushed women further out of the high-stakes birthing room and into the role of the subordinate.
Then came the 19th century and the Crimean War. Florence Nightingale is the name everyone knows, but she didn't just "invent" nursing. She took a role that had been performed by "unskilled" women and religious sisters for centuries and turned it into a disciplined, secular profession.
But there was a catch.
To make nursing acceptable to the Victorian male doctors, Nightingale had to frame it as a submissive, domestic role. The doctor was the "head," and the nurse was the "hand." This effectively codified the hierarchy we still struggle with today. Nurses were no longer the independent healers or the autonomous midwives of the Middle Ages; they were now part of a rigid military-style structure.
Why This History Matters in 2026
We’re still living in the wreckage of these power struggles. Look at the way we talk about "alternative" medicine versus "traditional" medicine. A lot of that language is a direct descendant of the 15th-century attempts to discredit anyone without a university seal.
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- The Midwifery Model of Care: Even today, midwives often fight for the right to attend births without a doctor’s supervision. This is the same battle fought in the 1700s.
- The Gender Pay Gap: Nursing remains a female-dominated field, and despite being the backbone of the hospital, it is often undervalued compared to male-dominated specialties.
- Medical Gaslighting: The historical dismissal of "wise women" has evolved into a systemic issue where women's pain is often taken less seriously in clinical settings.
The history of witches midwives and nurses shows us that "expertise" is often a political label, not just a factual one. When we look back at the "witch," we aren't looking at a monster; we're looking at a woman who worked outside of a system that wasn't built for her.
Actionable Insights for the Modern Patient
Understanding this history isn't just for academics. It changes how you navigate the healthcare system today.
- Question the Hierarchy: If you’re planning a birth or managing a chronic illness, look into the different "models of care." The medical model focuses on intervention and pathology; the midwifery or holistic model often focuses on physiological normalcy and patient autonomy. Both have value, but you deserve to know which one you're getting.
- Acknowledge the Source: When someone dismisses a treatment as "old wives' tales," remember that "old wives" were the primary scientists for most of human history. Digitalis (heart medication) came from folk knowledge of foxglove. Aspirin came from willow bark.
- Support Nurse Autonomy: Modern Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are essentially the spiritual successors to the independent healers of the past. Supporting legislation that allows them to practice to the full extent of their training helps break down the rigid, monopolistic hierarchies established in the 1400s.
- Do Your Own Research (The Right Way): Use databases like PubMed or Google Scholar to look at the actual efficacy of "traditional" methods. Don't take a "witch's" word for it, but don't take a pharmaceutical ad's word for it either.
The struggle for control over healing didn't end with the last witch trial. It just moved into the boardroom and the hospital wing. By knowing where these boundaries came from, we can start to decide which ones actually need to be there and which ones are just leftovers from a more superstitious, sexist age.
Investigate the credentials of your care team. Ask your midwife about their transfer protocols. Ask your doctor about their views on physiological birth. The more you know about the history of witches midwives and nurses, the more power you have over your own future.
Next Steps for Further Understanding:
- Read Witches, Midwives, and Nurses: A History of Women Healers by Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English (keeping in mind the modern historical critiques).
- Look up the "Chamberlen Forceps" to see how a single invention changed the gender of birth.
- Research the difference between a Direct-Entry Midwife and a Certified Nurse-Midwife in your specific state or country.