Ep.11 - Head To Toe - Tongue

The tongue has long been viewed as a meaning-laden symbol as well as a flappy mouth muscle. In this episode we explore the history of the scold’s bridle – a tongue-based punishment usually used against women for talking out of turn. We also uncover the supposed historical causes of stuttering – from too much tickling to looking in a mirror. And we explore some pleasant sounding tongue-related historical treatments – from sugar candy and wine drinking to cinnamon water and honey. Finally, a change from all the dung-based recipes we’ve been looking at! Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date with our latest podcasts, videos and events. Subscribe here: https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage/sign-our-heritage-newsletter Website: www.rcpe.ac.uk/heritage Twitter: twitter.com/RCPEHeritage Credits Researcher and presenter: Laura Burgess has been a volunteer with RCPE Heritage since 2021 after completing her MA in History from UNC Charlotte. Editor and producer: Sarah E Hayward completed her PhD in Museums and Heritage Studies at Kingston University London in 2023. She has been a volunteer with RCPE Heritage since 2021. She has a passion for archival research and she loves to explore creative ways to assemble and share the hidden stories she uncovers. Researcher and presenter: Olivia Howarth is a volunteer with RCPE Heritage, a recently qualified archivist, heritage enthusiast and self-proclaimed lifetime nerd with an interest in medical history. Historical clip: Oesophageal speech after laryngectomy. Wellcome Collection. Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)