Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA) Saturday 12 February 187666064

DEATH OP DR. WEHL.    
-  
Our South-East readers will hear with
regret of the death of Dr. Wehl, which
occurred at Mount Gambier yesterday morn-
ing. The cause of death was hydatids.
These, it appears, had developed on the
lungs without being suspected, and spread
over the outer coating of the stomach, pro-
ducing symptoms which were at first mis-
taken for dropsy. It was only last week,
on resorting to the operation of tapping, that
the true cause of the disorder was discov-
ered ; and the doctor's system was then so
poisoned that his medical advisers had
.scarcely any hope of his recovery.
The deceased gentleman was by birth a  
German, but he has been long and inti-
mately acquainted with Mount Gambier
was, in fact, a resident before the towu ex-
isted. He arrived here in 1849's a young man
of about 25, having only a short time pre-
viously arrived in the colony from Germany.
The country was then all in the hands of
squatters. In the township there was only
a slab public-house, owned by a person
known as "Black Byng;" Mr. Crouch's
store, and a blacksmith's shop ; and these
buildings were erected on land belonging to
the then owner of Moorak Station, Mr.
Sturt. Dr. Wehl practised his profession
; among the few-and-far-between population
of the district till 1852, when the fame of
the-Victorian diggings led him, along with
the bulk of his patients, to try their
fortunes on the gold-fields. In 1853, how-
ever, he returned and settled down again to
the practice of medicine. , .
- It would not be possible to write a bio-
graphy- of Dr. Wehl without at the same
time writing a history of Mount Gambier.
We shall, therefore, only briefly touch on
one or two of the more prominent points of
his career. He took a deep interest in all
industrial pursuits. In 1857 he started the
first flour mill in the district, which was
driven by hand power. In 1858 he substi-
tuted horse power, and in 1859 he intro-
duced steam. He continued in the milling
trade till 1868. In 1858 he commenced
farming, and up to the time of his death
continued to manifest the deepest interest
in agricultural pursuits. Some ten years
ago he embarked very deeply, in the busi-
ness, having purchased about 3000 acres in
Gambier East. This did not turn out well,
the land being very expensive to clear, and
after all, too poor for cropping. This was
the cause of heavy loss, and the farm was
eventually abandoned. On his land in the
vicinity of the town he carried out many
interesting, experiments with grasses and
root crops, of whioh the district reaped the
benefit.  
When a District Council was proclaimed
here Dr. Wehl was one of the first members,
and was elected first Chairman. He was
connected with all the leading local societies
-Oddfellows, Foresters, Masons, German
Club, &c. Much regret was felt here when
in 1874 he announced his intention of retir-
ing from practice. He did so on the ground
of failing health. On that occasion he was
entertained at a public dinner, a friendly
societies' dinner, and had presented to him a
silver tea and coffee service and a purse of
sovereigns. It may fairly be said that no
resident in Mount Gambier ever commanded
more respect or was better liked than Dr.
Wehl. And he well deserved this. He
was of a genial and generous disposition, and
poor and rich were ever treated with equal
consideration, both professionally and other-
wise.
Dr. Wehl was married to a sister of Baron
von Mueller of Melbourne, who survives
him. They have had a family of 15 chil-
dren, 12 of whom are now alive. He was
53 years of age. It is arranged that his
funeral will take place to-morrow.