We’re exploring different objects on display in our Physicians’ Gallery. This week, we’re talking about an object from our temporary exhibition ‘Hooked’ – Jamaica Ginger, a Prohibition-era American medicine which was highly alcoholic and contained a range of noxious ingredients. In the 1930s a large number of users of Jamaica Ginger were afflicted with a paralysis of the hands and feet that quickly became known as Jamaica ginger paralysis or Jake paralysis.
The Team: Sarah E Hayward earned her PhD in Museums and Heritage Studies, with a focus on the history of learning disability, from Kingston University London in 2023. She now works in the Archive Service at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability (RHN) in Putney. Sarah has been a dedicated volunteer with the Physicians' Gallery since 2021. She has a passion for archival research and loves to explore creative ways to share the hidden stories she uncovers. Charlotte Holmes received her PhD in History from the University of Edinburgh in 2022 and she has been volunteering with the Physicians' Gallery since 2019. Her main interest is in Scottish medical history but she has recently been researching the disabled experience in early modern Scotland.
Physicians' Gallery Newsletter
Updates on upcoming events, exhibitions and online stories
