The 1886 edition of The Australasian Medical Directory and Hand Book contained a List of Unregistered Practitioners, which included the following entry:

SCHUHKNECHT, Rev. C., Natimuk. Homœopathist. German Lutheran Minister; formerly of Mount Gambier (S.A.)

This is a reference to Rev. Carl Schoknecht, the first Pastor at St Paul's Lutheran church at Natimuk.

Rev. Schoknecht was born at Dargun, Mecklenburg, Prussia. He trained as a Lutheran missionary and after his ordination was sent to South Australia. He arrived at Port Adelaide in 1871, after which he travelled to the Lutheran Mission at Killalpaninna. He was a missionary there from 1871 to 1873, where he also compiled a dictionary of the Diyari language of the local aborigines.

The Reverend and his family were familiar with homœopathy, as his wife and children used homœopathic remedies. However, apart from Rev. Schoknecht's entry in the List of Unregistered Practitioners, there is no direct evidence that he prescribed homœopathic medicines for his parishioners, although he did maintain a list of plants - their uses for the treatment of various illnesses, and common medical complaints and the plants which would be useful to help cure or alleviate each problem. Given his interest in the treatment of illnesses, it likely that he prescribed for his family, and may also have provided advice for his parishioners.

See also the article by Barbara Armstrong: South Australia's Unregistered 'Homœopathists' of 1886.

© Barbara Armstrong