Archives Alive
Cracking Cholera: From quackery to cure!
Aimed at Years 6, 7 and 8 this interactive day uses the inspiration of original resources on cholera from Newcastle University Special Collections to find out the horrific facts of the 1832 cholera epidemic in Gateshead.
Armed with this knowledge the students then hit the labs to create their own 19th century cure for cholera. Students investigate the use of magic bullets (antibiotics) and see first-hand how their 19th century tinctures affect the function of cells.
Finally students become modern day biomedical scientists and must identify the cholera victims from a number of bacterial swab samples.
Student responses to the visit include – amazing, awesome, exciting, fun, enjoyable, scientific, fascinating, tiring, and cool
"I found this workshop very enjoyable & active. I liked learning about the history of cholera & making my own tincture".
"It was enjoyable & interesting to see the old books. I learned a lot & all of the university staff were nice & friendly"
Find out more on the Cholera: Archives Alive website.
