Crisis in Brazil
In recent issues of the Bulletin we have featured a number of positive stories charting the way in which orthodox medicine and the Bach remedies can work hand in hand to the benefit of clients and of health care in general. More and more orthodox medical practitioners are it seems coming to see the benefits of the complementary approach in general, and of the remedies in particular.
For many years Brazil has been at the forefront of these developments, and the practitioner courses in Brazil have arguably attracted more doctors, psychologists and psychotherapists than any similar courses anywhere in the world. We were disappointed then to learn of recent developments in Brazil that have seen the authorities there take a huge step backwards.
The problem began in summer when a new Minister of Health intervened in the case of a pharmacy which had been selling fake birth control pills. As a result of this a full investigation into the activities of allopathic pharmacies was launched, and at the same time health care practices in general became a focus for debate.
On August 26th this year, and as a result of this debate, the Federal Council of Medicine in Brazil drew up a new regulation which specifically prohibited medical doctors in Brazil from using any type of therapy that was not recognised by the scientific community.
The Bach system was among the many approaches that were included under this definition. The new regulation was widely reported, and led to a lot of adverse comment in the press and on television about complementary medicine in general, and to a decision by some pharmacies that had been selling the remedies to stop doing so.
It is estimated that more than 40,000 doctors in Brazil use at least one form of complementary therapy. The president of the Federal Council of Medicine has in effect threatened any doctors who continue to recommend them with the possibility of their being prosecuted for unethical practice.
The good news is that the people who are affected by this are fighting back, and have formed a new association to give more weight to their campaign to protect complementary medicine in Brazil. Any practitioners with senior academic or health-related positions can help by sending letters of support on headed paper to Dra Carmen Monari, the Bach Centre’s Local Registrar in Brazil. The address is Rua Coronel Quirino 303, Cambui, Campinas, SP 13023, Brazil.
Registration renewal fee
The registration renewal fee paid by practitioners will increase by £1 per year from January 1st 1999. This is the first rise since March 1997, and over this period is slightly less than the rate of inflation in the UK.
Practitioners who pay their registration renewal fees to a national office and not direct to the Bach Centre will not be affected by this rise.
Training and support in Canada
Practitioners in Canada will be aware that Bach-Karooch Ltd, who were responsible for the Bach International Education Programme in Canada, have decided to cease their activities in that area from January 1999.
At the time of writing (September 1998) discussions as to how the program will continue in Canada are still taking place, and we will announce the results of those discussions in a future Bulletin. The one thing that has been decided is that the programme will continue, and indeed will expand.
In the meantime our thanks and gratitude for a good job well done go to Karen Christopher of Bach-Karooch Ltd, who has been the national education co-ordinator in Canada over the last year.
The hospital of the future?
by Pamela Higginson
At the end of 1997 James was admitted to a cardiac hospital, via Casualty, and underwent by-pass surgery. He made a speedy recovery but unfortunately had a violent reaction to a drug. He returned home, but was re-admitted to hospital with an infection in the incision. He became extremely ill in intensive care. His blood sugar was unmeasurable and he was on ventilation and life support.
Following a further operation to close the original wound, and on regaining consciousness, he was completely disorientated and confused. He kept trying to get out of bed ‘to get to the airport’. He was given various drugs and had to be restrained with his hands tied.
At this point his wife said that the side-effects of the drugs were making him worse, and requested that the treatment be stopped and that he be given the crisis ‘rescue’ formula instead. This was done, and within the space of 2 or 3 minutes his wife and the hospital staff watched the monitor and saw his heart rate fall from 110 to 87, and his blood pressure drop from 150 to 134. He immediately calmed down and began to sleep peacefully.
Some hours later the remedy was repeated with the same results on the monitor. The physician in charge wrote on his chart that he should be given the remedy when required, and that the nursing staff should be instructed in its use, along with other homoeopathic remedies for renal failure.
I had got to know James some years before and had helped him select remedies then; I was now telephoned for further advice and suggested White Chestnut for his worrying and Vervain for the frustration – this was his type remedy. These were added.
Within two weeks his confusion vanished completely and his kidneys were functioning normally. Soon after that he returned home.
And as a postscript, I have been informed that the nurses in the intensive care unit at the hospital are now taking Bach themselves.
Welcome to…
Since the last (September) issue was prepared, 33 new practitioners have joined the register:
- in Argentina, Ana María Casaris;
- in Australia, Anne Power;
- in Austria, Josef Gfrerer;
- in Brazil, Celso Paroni and Cyana Saccomani;
- in Canada, Jane Kieran, Debbie Buckland, Carolyn Wachsmuth and Brian Tyrrell;
- in Italy, Pia Vercellesi;
- in Latvia, Monta Daubure;
- in Spain, Concha Lledó Espinós, Montserrat Bayego i Salvador and Josefa Lopez Ortega;
- in Switzerland, Barbara Dobbs;
- in the UK, Elaine Greenwood, Vicky Howells, Elaine Abel, Linda McFarlane, Julia Barker, Iona Cullens, Alison Roberts, Rosalind Correa, Fernanda Kingsley-Thomas, Pauline Wright, Catherine Gurnet, Fiona Mahoney, Jillian Lawrence, Jacqueline Lowy and Eugenie Clapham;
- in Uruguay, Abraham Berlad;
- and in the USA, Isabelle Hadley and Deborah Weatherby.
There are now 514 practitioners on the register.
An appeal for help
I would like to hear from any practitioners who have experience using the remedies to help autistic children.
If you have any information to share please get in touch.
Igor Peitkiewicz
An appeal for letters
We want you to use this Bulletin to keep in touch with each other. If anything wonderful, funny, interesting or just plain typical has happened to you in your work with the remedies, or if there are any questions that have been nagging away at you, or if you simply want to say hello, please write to us at the Bach Centre, marking your letter clearly as being ‘FOR PUBLICATION’.
We can’t promise to print every letter in the bulletin, but even if we don’t use your contribution we always love to hear from you.
A little light relief…
Both cartoons are from Witch Doctor, by Martin Honeysett (Century Publishing, 1985)
This archive material has been edited to remove some out-of-date advice and information.