Fit for Life

18 April - 16 October 2008

It's hard to believe that two hundred years ago you would have been lucky to reach your 40th birthday. If you were fortunate enough not to get struck down by killer diseases like cholera and typhoid, then living in slum housing surrounded by smog and eating a poor diet would most likely have finished you off. This brand new exhibition at Portland Basin Museum explores the medical advances and social changes that have transformed our health and enabled us to live to twice that age.

'Fit for Life' features a wide range of old objects from different areas of health and medicine, such as dentistry tools, an old hearing aid, sports equipment and 'quack' medicines. There are some wonderfully gruesome objects loaned from Thackray Medical Museum in Leeds, including an old amputation saw, a pot for storing leeches and a set of cups that were used to draw blood from the body. The history of health and safety in the workplace is also explored through objects loaned from the People's History Museum in Manchester. The exhibition goes on to look at some of the major health issues facing the borough today and the factors that can affect health, such as drinking alcohol, smoking and eating a poor diet.

Rachel Cornes, Social History Curator, said, "It's amazing to realise how far our health has come. Only 150 years ago the idea that diseases were spread by germs was unheard of – everyone thought they were spread by bad smells! There are lots of fun facts in the exhibition and also hands-on activities where visitors can really get involved. Hopefully people will come away feeling inspired to make their lives healthier, even if they just make some small changes."

The exhibition features artwork by local artist Lucy Campbell-Maguire. Lucy, who is also a doctor, has previously exhibited at Central Art Gallery in Ashton, and uses her medical knowledge to shape her artwork. For the Fit for Life exhibition Lucy tells the story of ten Tameside people who are living with or have overcome ill health. The result is a stunning series of photographs.