Unusual Article-"Scold's Bridle"

Reading the unusual article, “ Scold’s Bridle” on Wikipedia’s page, was quite entertaining.  The article  explained what a scold bridle is.  Also known as a “brank’s bridle”, the contraption was used as an instrument of punishment, usually for women.  It could also be deemed a device for torture or humiliation.  To describe the brank, it was a muzzle made of iron that surrounded the entire head and a bit, about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide, that was forced into the mouth  and pressed down on the tongue.  The bit was likely surrounded by spikes.  This was to ensure that whomever wore the brank, if the attempted to speak, they would cause major pain to their tongue.  Mainly, the types of people to be forced to wear this device, were wives considered to be witches, hags and nags. 

            The origin of the brank, comes from Scotland in 1567.  However, they were also used in England but it wasn’t a legal form of punishment.  The courts in Scotland mostly inflicted this device on offenders who were female.  To be considered for this punishment, all a female would have had to do was be a common nag.  Branks were mostly used to be a major punishment for women of lower classes who would gossip or were bothersome.  They were also used for women or were thought to be involved in witchcraft.  The purpose was to keep them from talking.  The brank was also used for  corporal punishment, usually for female workhouse inmates.  These devices were used in addition to public humiliation  and being beaten.
           After reading this article, I learned something completely new.  This was the first time I was learning about a bridle being used for punishment.  I know what a bridle is, however I was unaware that it was ever used a form of humiliation and torture.  Also, I was surprised to hear it was mostly used on women.  To think that you could be tortured by this contraption just for “nagging” is unthinkable. 
          The information I read is not really useful.  Use of the “brank” in today’s time would be considered cruel and unusual.  Physically and emotionally harming someone in this way isn’t tolerated anymore.  Therefore, it isn’t useful to know because there is no way this will ever happen again. 
          I believe this article earned a page through Wikipedia because it is extremely unusual.  I do however believe that it would be easy to find more research on this topic on other websites.  It is something that happened in history but not something that is so farfetched that it can only be found on this Wikipedia page.