PAUL ENGLISH LIVE #126 · Witches, Wise Women and the Hostile Takeover of Healing

Broadcasts live every Thursday at 8:00p.m. uk time on Radio Soapbox: http://radiosoapbox.com

A lively, free‑wheeling show that starts with Valentine’s banter and studio shenanigans before settling into a wide‑ranging discussion on witches, wise women and the hostile takeover of folk medicine. We explore how church and state persecution, the Malleus Maleficarum and later medical industrialisation sidelined community healers, and contrast that with practical, home‑based care: herbalism, midwifery, and everyday remedies. Guests Nathan and Holly join to share hands‑on wisdom: the “thieves” essential‑oil blend story, foraging (wild garlic, dandelion, cleavers), apple‑cider vinegar, fermented foods, onions and garlic, plus supportive nutrients such as zinc, NAC and glutathione. We also touch on oral health hacks (coconut oil and turmeric), nicotine lozenges, and the broader cultural myths that shape how we think about health, power and history—rounded off with a nod to Monty Python and classic telly nostalgia.

A lively, wide‑ranging show that began with a bit of studio sound wrangling and Valentine’s Day banter soon turned into a deep dive on folk healing, “witch hunts” and the politics of medicine. I set the scene with Barbara Ehrenreich and Deirdre English’s Witches, Midwives, & Nurses and the Malleus Maleficarum, then welcomed Nathan Lucius and Holly for a practical tour of village herbalism: thieves‑blend lore, why onions, garlic, ferments and apple‑cider vinegar still earn their keep, and when nicotine (taken cleanly) can be useful. We contrasted communal, women‑led care traditions with top‑down institutions, touched Codex Alimentarius and psychopathy research, and swapped tips from kitchen to hedgerow—candid, hands‑on, and very human.

Along the way we roamed cultural touchstones and curios: UK Column and Jerm Warfare interviews, Dustin Nemos’ long‑form chat, Erich von Däniken and Graham Hancock on deep history, the Oera Linda debate, Playford’s country‑dance tunes and Steeleye Span, plus Bewitched and Monsters, Inc. for a wink at pop portrayals of “witches” and fear. A spirited, sometimes provocative pub‑table ramble—rooted in curiosity, care, and keeping our wits about us.

• 'Witches, Midwives, & Nurses' (Barbara Ehrenreich & Deirdre English), Feminist Press: https://www.feministpress.org/books-n-z/witches-midwives-nurses-second-edition
• Malleus Maleficarum (full text, public domain): https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Malleus_Maleficarum
• UK Column (independent news): https://www.ukcolumn.org/
• Jerm Warfare (podcast site): https://www.jermwarfare.com/podcast/
• Dustin Nemos (site): https://www.dustinnemos.com/
• Graham Hancock (official website): https://grahamhancock.com/
• Erich von Däniken (official website/estate notice): https://daniken.com/
• Oera Linda Book (overview): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oera_Linda_Book
• John Playford – The Dancing Master (1686 edition, online): https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Dancing_Master_(1686)
• Steeleye Span (official): https://steeleyespan.org.uk/
• Bewitched (series overview): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bewitched
• Monsters, Inc. (official Disney page): https://movies.disney.com/monsters-inc
• Opera Browser (official): https://www.opera.com/
• Robert D. Hare – Without Conscience (psychopathy research): https://www.hare.org/
• Codex Alimentarius – U.S. Codex Office (official): https://www.usda.gov/trade-and-markets/policies-and-procedures/us-codex-office
• Bohemian Grove (overview of rituals and symbolism): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemian_Grove
• Paul English Live (show hub): https://paulenglishlive.com/
• Nicotonic (clean nicotine lozenges referenced): https://nicotonic.com/