Marsh Fever – The Ague
By Gillian Metcalfe
Romney Marsh was once an extremely unhealthy place until the late 19th century. Diseases, especially Marsh Fever (The Ague), claimed hundreds of lives. It is now known that this disease was Malaria caused by the mosquito species ‘Anopheline’ thriving in the marsh’s foul-smelling stagnant water. Research shows that malaria was common in the low-lying marshy areas of Southeast England. Many remedies were tried, including herbs, leeches, mud baths, alcohol, drugs, narcotics, and witchcraft, but none were successful. People even chanted spells and prayed to God for help but to no avail. The marsh’s reputation for disease was so bad that even Queen Elizabeth I, in the mid-16th century, refused to cross it on her way to Dover. She complained of the noxious smells and dangerous roads through the swamps.
The number of deaths exceeded the number of births by a ratio of two to one. Individuals who were vulnerable to disease, such as infants, young children, smugglers, immigrants, as well as those who were frail or already suffering from an illness, were particularly affected. People who moved to the marsh from areas with cleaner air had no immunity, while those who had always lived on the marsh had a better chance of survival. Foreigners seeking employment, along with their wives and children, who were accustomed to living in upland areas, arrived on the marsh with little resistance to the diseases present. Although it’s unclear how the marshes became infected, it’s possible that the malaria parasite was transmitted to local mosquitoes by Dutch migrants and wool weavers.
Drainage improved in the 18th century, and by then, the rich grazing lands of the marsh supported 160,000 sheep, producing three thousand packs of wool each year, more sheep per acre than any other part of England. William Cobbet wrote, in 1823, that the sheep were ‘as white as a sheet of writing paper,’ and that ‘The wool does not look dirty and oily like that of other sheep... this marsh abounds in every part of it, and the sight is most beautiful.’ Beautiful, it may have been, but Marsh Fever was still prevalent.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the population was affected by disease, causing a significant decrease in numbers. However, in the 17th and 18th centuries, the population began to rise again due in part to improved drainage systems and the discovery of a new treatment for malaria. Robert Talbor, a young apprentice to an Essex apothecary, began to treat smugglers successfully with a secret formula. This was possible because of the discovery of quinquina from the bark of the Peruvian Cinchona tree. Talbor’s expertise quickly spread, and he was introduced to King Charles II by one of his patients. The King’s physicians had refused to treat him with quinine, likely due to their jealousy of Talbor and their uncertainty about the administration of the secret formula. As a result, King Charles II turned to Talbor for treatment and appointed him his physician. The young apprentice went on to achieve great success and wealth and was later knighted.
Initially, the tincture was an expensive remedy unaffordable for peasants and labourers. However, with time, the price of the treatment dropped, making it more accessible to the masses. This had a life-altering effect on many individuals suffering from the disease, as it didn’t provide a complete cure but significantly reduced the symptoms, thereby saving lives. A 17th-century parson, James Woodforde, residing in Suffolk, noted in his diary that his niece was taking a medicine called ‘The Bark’ to treat an attack of ‘The Ague.’ This disease was prevalent in low-lying areas of Kent and was widespread in Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk until Talbor’s discovery of quinine became the accepted treatment.
By the late 18th century, malaria cases in England began to decrease, and by the early 19th Century were becoming a rarity. In the 20th century, following the First World War, some troops returned infected, and those coming home from the colonies frequently battled the disease. Malaria was once a widespread concern in England, but in recent times, the incidence of the disease has significantly decreased. Despite this, the threat of malaria-carrying mosquitoes still exists as they can quickly relocate, piggy-backing human transportation methods. These insects are known for their remarkable ability to survive in harsh environments, thanks to the drought-resistant properties of their eggs that can endure in dry nooks and crannies, such as old car tyres. Female mosquitoes, whilst appearing delicate and frail, have a powerful tube-like proboscis. With this, they pierce the skins of humans and animals to suck blood and protein, both necessary to produce their eggs.
With so many people holidaying abroad, more infections can be expected, and given a warm, wet summer here, we may see a resurgence of the disease. A particular threat to look out for is the Asian Tiger Mosquito, which has a distinctive white stripe down its back and a black-and-white striped torso and legs. Although preferring a tropical climate, this species has arrived in Belgium and the Netherlands. It may well find our increasingly warm, green and pleasant land, and Romney Marsh in particular, an attractive place to set up home and inflict its nasty blood-feasting habits on us once more.
Notes
The author would like to thank Dr Mary Dobson of Oxford University for the information in this article (See ‘Romney Marsh, Environmental Change and Human Occupation in a Coastal Lowland’ (1998) Ed. Jill Eddison et al.)
This article was previously published in 2019 in Cinque Ports magazine. The author owns the copyright.