Curiosity Killed the Researcher (and Ethics, Too)

This episode covers episodes 19 and 20 of the series Charmed. In “Ex Libris,” the sisters face the uneasy line between human wrongdoing and supernatural evil when a murdered student’s spirit seeks justice. Then in “Astral Monkey,” a doctor’s experiment with the Halliwells’ blood goes wildly wrong, sparking questions about science, consent, and the cost of curiosity. Without further ado, let’s dig into grimoires, demonology, and real-world stories of medical research and the violation of human rights. Note: The Annabelle Doll is noted as being located in the Warren Occult Museum. While the Warren Occult Museum is still in operation, it has since changed guardianship and as of late 2025 it and Annabelle are on tour in the U.S.Trigger Warning: Discussions of murder and beheadings; human experimentation; racial injustice and unethical medical research (e.g., Tuskegee Study, Henrietta Lacks); and violation of consent and bodily autonomy. Learn More:American Medical Association. (n.d.). Code of Medical Ethics. https://code-medical-ethics.ama-assn.org/Bane, T. (2012). Encyclopedia of demons in world religions and cultures. McFarland & Company, Inc. https://ia601901.us.archive.org/24/items/BaneTheresaEncyclopediaOfDemonsInWorldReligionsAndCultures/Bane%2C%20Theresa%20Encyclopedia%20of%20demons%20in%20world%20religions%20and%20cultures.pdfBrown, D. L. (2017, May 16). 'You've got bad blood': The horror of the Tuskegee syphilis experiment. Washington Post. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A491817116/ITOF?u=txshracd2566&sid=summon&xid=56b1f841Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). “About Bartonella bacilliformis”. https://www.cdc.gov/bartonella/about/about-bartonella-bacilliformis.htmlDavies, O. (2023, October 31). Art of the grimoire: 7 spell books through history. https://yalebooksblog.co.uk/2023/10/31/art-of-the-grimoire-7-spell-books-through-history/Demonology. (2025, October 26). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DemonologyEd and Lorraine Warren. (2025, November 8). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_and_Lorraine_WarrenGrimoire. (2025, November 9). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GrimoireGuiley, R. E. (2009). The encyclopedia of demons and demonology. Facts on File. https://www.deliverancechronicles.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/The-Encyclopedia-Of-Demons-And-Demonology.pdf-PDFDrive.com-.pdf - click at your own risk, can’t guarantee a demon won’t show upHenrietta Lacks. (2025, November 2). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrietta_LacksJacques Collin de Plancy. (2025, June 19). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Collin_de_PlancyJones, J. H. (1993, January 15). Bad blood: The Tuskegee syphilis experiment. Free Press.Ralph Sarchie. (2025, October 30). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_SarchieSDSU Library. (n.d.). Grimoires and occult revival. Witchcraft Studies. https://libguides.sdsu.edu/c.php?g=905875&p=6686265Simon, E. (2022, February 23). “A history of demonology is a history of the world: Ed Simons offers a demonic poetics”. Literary Hub. https://lithub.com/a-history-of-demonology-is-a-history-of-the-world/Skloot, R. (n.d.). “About the book”. Rebecca Skloot. https://rebeccaskloot.com/the-immortal-life/about-the-book/Spector-Bagdady, K. (2017, January 25). “The privacy debate over research with your blood and tissue”. University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation. https://ihpi.umich.edu/news/privacy-debate-over-research-your-blood-tissue Willow. (2014, September 1). “What’s the difference: Grimoire vs. book of shadows”. Flying the hedge: A modern approach to hedgecraft. https://www.flyingthehedge.com/2014/09/grimoire-vs-book-of-shadows.html