Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 2, 1995 TAG: 9502020022
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: SU CLAUSON-WICKER SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
"My son was always sick," she says. "He was always on antibiotics. Five years ago, he had ear infections so often, all you had to do was breathe on him and he'd get sick."
Then Barzilai, whose husband teaches at Virginia Tech, heard about a small homeopathy group in Blacksburg. Homeopathy is a system of medical treatment, developed around 1800, based on the theory that certain diseases can be cured with very small doses of medications that mimic the symptoms of the disease.
After meeting with the local group, she consulted by phone with a homeopathic doctor in California, talking for hours about her son's symptoms, his preferences, everything. He prescribed an over-the-counter homeopathic medicine "that cured my son's ear infections, helped him to sleep through the nights, and made him much calmer," she says.
Although treating a patient you never lay eyes on is highly irregular for traditional doctors, it is more common in homeopathy where the remedies are over-the-counter products and the dosages tiny. Directions for taking the medicine are also extremely detailed, said Barzilai.
Barzilai decided she wanted to learn as much as she could about homeopathy. She also sees a regular physician for pap smears and diagnostic tests.
At the time, there were no homeopathic physicians in this end of Virginia.
Barzilai took all the courses the New England School of Homeopathy offered in Charlottesville.
When she graduated, she had knowledge about homeopathy and a certificate, but no means of practicing in a medical setting. Virginia - like most states - doesn't recognize homeopathic practitioners who are not also medically certified as physicians, nurses, or other standard medical professionals.
"So I teach," Barzilai says. Between the Virginia Tech YMCA Open University courses and the homeopathic study groups she leads at the library, she estimates she has taught about 250 people.
With beginning students, Barzilai covers medical problems such as bee stings, colds, flus, stomach illnesses, bleeding and shock.
Participants learn the basic premises of homeopathy such as selecting medicines for their ability to mimic the symptoms. They also learn about dilutions - usually 1 part per million of the tincture - and common remedies, including belladona, aconite, arsenic oxide or the ink of the cuttlefish.
Beginning students learn to ask seemingly odd questions such as: "Is the patient thirsty?" "Does he want coddling or seclusion?" "Does he feel better in warm or cold rooms,... ?" All these factors enter into the treatment decision.
Advanced students learn more about constitutional treatments and the philosophy of homeopathy.
Some have used two homeopathic physicians who practice near Charlottesville for complaints such as asthma, allergies, colitis and problems with the immune system - such as chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis, says Barzilai, .
"Homeopathy has gotten more popular in this country in the past decade, probably because it's so inexpensive (average medication costs $3-$6) and nontoxic," said Barzilai. Sometimes the patients are people frustrated with treatment they have received through mainstream medicine. "
Barzilai is quick to admit that homeopathic medicine has its limitations in curing major illnesses, and she still uses a regular physician for diagnostic tests and similar procedures.
Barzilai has seen the composition of her classes change over the years from young mothers and college students to middle-aged and elderly women with few medical problems of their own. "They're interested in helping their families and understanding how to feel better in general."
They may also be interested in homeopathy's effect on the emotions, she said. Homeopathy treats a person's physical, mental and emotional aspects and may change dreams, moods and thinking patterns, she said.
Except for the YMCA Open University courses, Barzilai receives no compensation for her work. "If I do enough education," she says, "someday there may be a place for paid homeopathic counselors."
Barzilai's homeopathic group meets at the Blacksburg library on Saturday mornings. Her next course through the Virginia Tech YMCA will be offered in March.
A homeopathic medical doctor, Dr. Mitch Fleisher from Charlottesville, will give an introductory talk on homeopathy at the Virginia Tech Wesley Foundation on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are available at Annie Kay's Whole Foods for $4. For information, call Barzilai at 552-2053.
by CNB