Historicaleigh: The Leigh Guinea Pigs

June 13, 2016 by Carole Mulroney

THE LEIGH GUINEA PIGS

In September 1849 the village doctor, Dr Bradley, came up with and marketed a preventative medicine for cholera. The advert which appeared in the local paper boasted that the Rector and Curate of St Clement’s, as well as 500 inhabitants had tested the medicine which was now on sale for 7s 6d.

Having checked the death registers for the period, the new medicine seems to have been a response to an outbreak of Asiatic Cholera in the town in August of that year when 17 people died, some families being affected more than once.

This article is by Carole Mulroney of Leigh Lives.
To read Carole's previous articles please click the link https://www.leigh-on-sea.com/tag/listing/blog/historicaleigh