(Material researched & presented by Barbara Armstrong)

[1816 – 1871]

Dr Edward Spech's gravestone in the Old Ballarat Cemetery

Photo courtesy of Peter Torokfalvy

Dr Spech was born in Brocs, Transylvania about 1817 and obtained his MD qualifications from the University of Vienna in 1846. He wrote the first Romanian homœopathic book, “Self-help in urgent cases of disease after the homœopathic system”.

He brought from Vienna an impressive collection of homœopathic remedies that was offered for sale to the Bucharest pharmacist, Rissdorfer. Probably the pharmacist sold remedies without prescription, which lead to an inquiry ordered by the Chief of Medical Services. The remedies were confiscated and Dr Spech found himself temporarily unable to continue treatment with his patients. He resumed private practice afterwards, and in 1864 he was still working in Bucharest.

He arrived at Port Phillip on the Fernought in 1865, and was naturalised in the same year.  An advertisement in Melbourne's The Argus newspaper, dated during September 1865 stated:

E. Spech, M.D., of Vienna, registered by the Medical Board of Victoria, practises his profession (having an experience of 18 years) as a Homœopathic Physician, at Ballarat. Consults personally or by letter.

He practised as a homœopath in Sturt Street, Ballarat. According to the 1869 edition of the local Ballarat Directory, he was located at 151 Sturt Street.

He died on 10 May 1871 ‘in very poor circumstances’ and the expenses of his burial were defrayed by subscriptions organised by other medical practitioners of Ballarat and by the German Society. The Launceston Examiner reproduced an item from the Ballarat Evening Mail:

Dr Edward Spech, homœopathic physician of Ballarat, died on 10th inst, of consumption. The deceased gentleman was fifty-three years of age. His diploma was dated Vienna 1846, and his Victorian registration June, 1865. As an instance of the very great respect in which Dr Spech was held we may mention that the Allopathic brethren of the late physician have subscribed towards the funeral expenses.

He was buried in the old Ballarat cemetery.

© Barbara Armstrong