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(Material researched & presented by Barbara Armstrong)

Ludwig Bruck was a medical journalist. At the time when the Directory was published, allopathic medicine did not dominate the health care scene in Australia, and it was not accepted by all. There was some opposition to allopathic medicine, and explicit criticism of its doctors and their practices, especially with their use of ‘mineral poisons’. Allopathic medicine was not yet the controlling and dominating force it later became. The medical profession wanted to create and preserve a strong medical identity, and the Directory was a part of the process of the professionalisation of medicine in Australia.

It should be noted that at the time that the List was created, very few Medical Acts in the colonies placed any kind of restriction on medical practice, and very few of those on the list were guilty of any crime or of breaking any of the colonial laws concerning medical practice. The only ‘crime’ was that these practitioners were unregistered by local medical boards consisting of allopathic, British-trained practitioners.  Many were humane and serious people, with many years of practical knowledge and experience in caring for the sick, who considered that it was their charitable duty to provide treatment. This was particularly the case where there was a shortage of doctors in the country (i.e. non-city) areas or the goldfields. It is interesting to note the number of religious men (on Bruck’s list and in the earlier history of Australia) who used their knowledge of homœopathic medicines to help treat their parishioners and others in need.

Following is an extract of Bruck’s list, containing the names of all those who were recorded as being ‘homœopathists’.

To view the full list and an analysis of Bruck’s work, see the article by Philippa Martyr, Tasmanian School of Nursing, University of Tasmania.

Also, see the article "South Australia’s Unregistered ‘Homœopathists’ Of 1886" by Barbara Armstrong.

THE NAMES OF ALL PERSONS KNOWN TO PRACTISE THE MEDICAL PROFESSION IN THE AUSTRALASIAN COLONIES, WITHOUT BEING REGISTERED WITH ANY OF THE COLONIAL MEDICAL BOARDS.

(With their addresses, alleged qualifications, and other particulars.)

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[Note.-There are a large number of Chemists and Druggists throughout the colonies practising medicine, who have not been included in this list, though it is probably that a few of those mentioned in it are merely druggists in interior townships, who are called "Doctor", and prescribe occasionally; but as the reports have been received from reliable sources, the list is presumed to be correct.]

*** To every person whose name appears in this list, a circular was sent, with the request to furnish the Editor with particulars as to his medical training, &co. Those who have no particulars attached to their names have not replied to it.

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NEW SOUTH WALES - Sydney and Suburbs:

BETHEL, G H, 38 Botany St Surry Hills. Homœopathist.

CATHCART, Augustus, 10 Oxford St, Newtown. -Styles himself "Hygienic Physician and Homœopathist." Claims to be a Mem. Homœopath. Assoc. Eng. Bases his right to practise upon a life-long study and practical clinical experience, and of having practised for a number of years at Newtown.

CURTIS, Robert, 4 Lancaster Villas, Ocean St, Woollahra. - Homœopathist.

ELLIOTT, E.C., 305 George St, Sydney. - Homœopathist.

FAWCETT, Benjamin, 630 Harris St, Ultimo, also cnr Park Rd and Premier St, Tempe. - Homœopathist. Mem[ber]. Homœop[athic].Assoc[iation]. Eng. Claims to have held the following appointments - Homœop[athic]. Phys[ician]. Hill End Hosp.; then for six years Res[ident]. Med[ical]. Off[icer]. and Accoucher to City of Bathhurst Private Lying-In Hospital., (established by him), and during the past fourteen years medical officer of eighteen benefit societies in the Hill End, Bathurst and Sydney districts. Advertises pamphlet on "Childbirth without danger and nearly painless."

JACKSON, -. late of 10 Macquarie St South, Sydney. - Homœopathist.

MOORE, William, 154 Elizabeth St, Sydney. - Homœopathist and proprietor of Electric Baths.

NASH, A.H., 251 Crown St, Surry Hills. - Homeopathist. Late of Hill End. Pupil of B. Fawcett.

SACHS, Leopold F., Steyn Rd, Manly, and at 52 Wynyard Square, Sydney. - Homœopathist.

WALKER, A.B., 221 Liverpool St, Sydney. Homœopathist.

NEW SOUTH WALES – Country Towns:

ANDREWS, S., Liverpool. Writes H.M.D. (Homœopath. Doctor of Med?) after his name. Advertises himself as "Late Hon. Surgeon of the Bathurst Hospital," whilst he had been only an attendant at that institution.

HOLDEN, REV. R. W., " Montacute House," Lawrence, Clarence Rivcr.-- Church of England clergyman of over 24 years' standing. Studied Allopathy and Homœopathy privately, and under the late Dr. Hammond, in England, for over seven years. Treated the poor when in active parish work in Victoria and South Australia. Settled at Lawrence in 1881, and, finding that there was no resident medical practitioner, undertook to attend urgent cases. His practice increased, and he now devotes himself solely to the practice of medicine.

HOLLAND, REV. EDWARD, Dubbo.-- Homœopathist.

MOLZ, Jacob, late of Sydney and Kogarah, now of Albury.-- Claims the degree M.D. New York Homœopath. Coll. of Phys. Advertises: " Ladies' and Children's Diseases a specialty."

TURNER, William, Bourke. Homœopathist. Advertises himself as "Physician and Surgeon." Formerly at Dubbo.

QUEENSLAND:

HANDT, D., Gympie. Homœopathist.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

BOLLEN, George, Port Adelaide. Lic. Hahnemann's Coll., Chicago, U.S.A. Homœopathist.

HEINRICH, -- , Angaston. Homœopathist. Lately arrived from Germany.

ZWAR, J., near Tanunda. Homœopathist, formerly farmer. Lives six miles from Tanunda.

VICTORIA:

COPE,-- , Seymour.-- Homœopathist.

FISCHER, Samuel, Sandhurst.-- Signs himself " Prof. Samuel Fischer, Baunscheidtist, or Exanthematic method of healing." He states: " Studied Hydropathy and Homœopathy in Dresden, Germany; also Theoretical Anatomy. By his own sharp searching for truth, he found that Surgery and Physics are at fault, and that a practical bone-setter is better than a surgeon. Has no diploma; lost his chance to get one by taking part in the German Revolution, in 1848. Came then out to Australia, became a miner, and teacher of French and German; began to practise Baunscheidtism in Sandhurst 10 years ago. Thinks himself equal to any medical man holding first-class diplomas."

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

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