FREEMAN AND WALLACE

Doctors Howard Freeman and Richard Wallace established their Electro-Medical and Surgical Institute in Sydney in 1897, and quickly set about organising a widespread and high-profile publicity campaign throughout Australasia. The Institute's advertisements, which promoted its ability to cure nervous and chronic complaints, blood and skin diseases, heart, kidney, liver, bladder, Rheumatism, sciatica and other problems, especially targeted men. From the early 1900s they began using endorsements, both celebrities and non-celebrities. The most popular were sportsmen. Also utilised were Australian and visiting international variety artists - notably trick cyclist Arthur Hill (Hill and Sylvainy) and pianist J. H. Brown. By early 1908 increasing questions regarding the veracity of their treatments, along with several law suits by patients, led to the Postmaster General placing the Institute on its prohibited post list. Later that same year Freeman and Wallace were forced into bankruptcy.

Howard Freeman and Richard Wallace set up their Electro-Medical and Surgical Institute at the corner of Elizabeth and Bathurst streets, Sydney sometime around mid to late-1897. Although the pair promoted themselves as "legally qualified and registered" doctors and specialists, with nine diplomas and certificates between them,1 there is some question as to the validity of their claims to be medical practitioners. Their advertisements, the earliest being in September 1897, not only highlighted consultations at their institute but also offered individuals not living in Sydney the opportunity to write to them outlining their complaints. Freeman and Wallace would then provide them with the necessary treatment - which they claimed was "always satisfactory." These treatments supposedly cured nervous and chronic complaints, blood and skin diseases, heart, kidney, liver, bladder, Rheumatism, sciatica etc. The advertisements especially targeted men - young, middle-aged and old.

In 1900 Freeman and Wallace published Clinical Experiences of the Nervous and Private Diseases, "a hair-raising account of the effects of moral turpitude, but holding out hope that [they] might be able to overcome the follies of youth"2 It was republished three years later as Experiences of the Nervous and Private General Diseases.

From the outset Freeman and Wallace made extensive use of newspapers and magazines to publicise their institute and various treatments. These advertise- ments, taking up as much as half a page in some Referee 20 Oct. (1897), 4. instances, appeared in a wide cross-section of titles, including major city papers like the Sydney Morning Herald, Evening News, Referee, Sunday Times, and Australian Town and Country (Sydney); , and Punch (), Daily News (Perth), The Worker () and Adelaide Observer. Numerous regional publications were also used, as were select New Zealand newspapers. From the early 1900s Freeman and Wallace began using endorsements from both celebrities and non-celebrities. The most popular were sportsmen. Among those identified to date were boxers Mat Mitchie and G. Johns, cricketer Jack Marsh, and cyclist Joseph Megson. Also utilised were Australian and visiting variety artists - notably trick cyclist Arthur Hill (Hill and Sylvainy) and pianist J. H. Brown.

Sunday Times (Sydney) 15 June (1902), 8.

1 Referee 20 Oct. (1897), 4. This advertisement identifies the diplomas and certificates of qualification and registration as being from the Government Medical Boards of , , South Australia, Great Britain and America. 2 Eugene Kamenka. "Oddities of Our Medicine." Sydney Morning Herald 6 June (1953), 9.

When questions concerning the veracity of Freeman and Wallace's treatments began to increase, along with several law suits by patients, the Postmaster General placed the Institute on its prohibited post in early-1908. Later that same year Freeman and Wallace were forced into bankruptcy. Their financial situation, details about their lives, earlier careers, and the eventual court proceedings were all given much publicity throughout the Australasian region.

"Drs. Freeman and Wallace in their Consulting Room" Punch (Melbourne) 8 Sept. (1898), 21.

Australian Town and Country Journal 3 June (1903), 8.

Punch (Melbourne) 10 Apr. (1902), 28.

Adelaide Observer 24 Jan. (1903), 47.

Punch (Melbourne) 6 Aug. (1903), 29.

First published: 20/08/2015 NB: The URL for this PDF will change each time it is updated. If you wish to cite or link to this record please use the following: Australian Variety Theatre Archive • http://ozvta.com/industry-misc-a-l/