Bitter pill

The irony is that the Texas Board of Medical Examiners recently passed a measure allowing physicians to practice alternative medicine under loose guidelines--without receiving the two years of formal training that naturopaths now receive in their graduate schools.

"[Naturopathy] is the medicine people want," Sporn says, as he looks at the stack of files on his desk and shakes his head. "Why? Because we take care of business. We tell you what to do at home, and we keep you out of the office...I feel that by rational discourse and by presenting my case--if it were heard--people would want me to have a license to practice, to do what I can for the health care of the people of this state."

But for now, all he can do is hope and keep trying to fight the law. Still, Sporn admits the thought of what could happen to him if he continues to practice in Texas without a license does keep him up at night.

"I don't have the money for a lawyer," he says. "I don't want to bring this into the courts, but if this is the thing that needs to happen for us to be free..." He pauses for a minute. "Benjamin Lust, the founder of our profession, was arrested 17 times for practicing medicine without a license." No doubt, Sporn would be proud to add his name to the list.