In this paper, I examine the backgrounds of cunning folk and unofficial, self-educated midwives, and secondly, the variety of their social statuses and theirs formation in Sweden in the 17th century. My hypothesis is that cunning folk and unofficial midwives came from different social backgrounds and estates, like beggars, vagrants, ...
(Show more)In this paper, I examine the backgrounds of cunning folk and unofficial, self-educated midwives, and secondly, the variety of their social statuses and theirs formation in Sweden in the 17th century. My hypothesis is that cunning folk and unofficial midwives came from different social backgrounds and estates, like beggars, vagrants, peasants, burghers etc., albeit the strict ideals of estate society demanded privileged professions to every estate and theirs members. I argue that the agents practical skills and knowledge about health care and medicine were even more important in the local community than his/hers official status in the hierarchical estate system – or at least the social status was mix of one´s ancestry, estate status and his/hers practical skills. That was reality in early modern period when modern and privileged medicine profession just slowly emerged. All kinds of medical help and helpers were needed and more or less respected. I focus on the unofficial and self-educated cunning folk and midwives, which important role has been often underestimated relative to the academic medicine. For example, in Swedish medical history the officially educated, regulated and hierarchically/estate privileged midwives since the beginning of 18th century have been under examinations, even if the unofficial midwives were majority to the first half of 20th century. All in all this paper enlighten the variety of social status before, during and after unofficial health care agency in the early modern period.
(Show less)