The "Poison of Witches" That Drove People Mad

This video explores the deadly history of henbane, one of the most feared and fascinating plants in European folklore. Often called the “poison of witches,” henbane appears in medieval chronicles, witch trial records, ancient medical texts, and early modern poison cases. Through stories from Classical antiquity to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, we trace how this toxic herb moved between the worlds of medicine, magic, and crime, shaping rituals, remedies, and rumors along the way. Drawing on historical sources, this short documentary-style video looks at how henbane was used by healers, apothecaries, and alleged witches, and why it became so closely linked with sorcery, flying ointments, and dark rites. It also examines the real pharmacological effects of henbane and the fears it inspired in church authorities, physicians, and rulers, showing how one plant helped define the boundary between accepted medicine and forbidden magic.