On 17 September, 1845, the barque "Patel" landed in South Australia. It carried 240 German emigrants, reported as being "of rather a superior class, and comprise many workmen of trades much wanted here".  As with Johann Zwar, the people on board were fleeing religious persecution in their native land.

W.H. Scholz       Founder of Willows Hospital

Photograph courtesy of                    Peter Torokfalvy

Early photograph of Willows Hospital                               (displayed in the Willows Hospital visitors' centre - June 2010)

Photograph courtesy of Peter Torokfalvy

Johann Gottfried Scholz, aged 39, was a land owner from Silesia. He arrived with his wife and seven children aged from seventeen to two, and settled on farming land at Light's Pass, near Nooriootpa in the Barossa Valley.

During his time with the Prussian Army, Johann had gained skills as a 'bone setter' and masseur, and it was for these skills that he quickly became known.

He also trained his son, Wilhelm Heinrich Scholz (the 'H. Scholz' in the List of Unregistered Practitioners). Scholz became famous when he re-fractured and re-set the deformed limb suffered by George Fife Angas (or in some accounts, his son John Angas).

Sample of Scholz's preparations         (Displayed in Willows Hospital visitors' centre)

Photograph courtesy of Peter Torokfalvy

Previous treatment by a doctor in Adelaide had failed; following Scholz's treatment the fracture healed perfectly. In gratitude, 

Plaque on wall of Tanunda Museum

Photograph courtesy of Peter Torokfalvy

G. F. Angas gave Scholz a sum of money which was used to extend the original home to allow for the treatment of patients. The first patients were admitted to the Willows Hospital in 1856. A more extensive stone and brick hospital was built in 1883, specialising in fractures and rheumatic diseases. At that time Wilhelm commissioned the construction of a special apothecary cabinet suitable for storing his homœopathic medications, poultices, ointments, etc.

Several generations continued the work of the hospital, until it closed in the 1950s.

© Barbara Armstrong