Health provision

As many of the people who visited Sidmouth did so because their health was failing, or they feared it would fail if they did not go on a ‘repairing lease‘, the health provision in Sidmouth was greater than would normally be found in a coastal village or town.

It was Doctors who, in the early 18th century, discovered (or came to the agreement) that sea air and sea bathing were beneficial to heath and so of course they either had to follow their patrons to the resort or there had to be medical practitioners on hand for when they arrived. A wealthy person who relied upon their medical man would not happily travel to where medical help was not of at least the same standard. So it was that Sidmouth was eventually able to boast of a selection of Drs to suit patients requirements and purses.

After the publication of two major medical books extolling the virtues of the seaside in promoting health (1752, Dr. Richard Russell of Brighton  ‘Uses of Sea Water in the Diseases of the Glands‘; and 1769, Dr William Buchanan of Edinburgh ‘Domestic Medicine’ a book written for the lay-person detailing things you could do to preserve your own health) the development of Sidmouth as a health resort was set.