A Remembrance: Sandra Julia Perko

A Remembrance
Sandra Julia Perko: Homeopath, Clinical Nutritionist and Author

August 23, 1933 – April 7, 2016

by Jay Yasgur, Pharm., M.Sc.

Early in life, Sandra, perhaps unbeknownst to her, sensed a path. After graduating from high school, marrying at an early age, and starting a family, she realized the importance of sound nutritional principles. So, what else could she do? She opened a health food store!

To obtain some measure of credibility, she took nutritional courses provided by Donsbach University, a correspondence educational institution. She graduated with her B.A., M.Sc. and Ph.D. in 1981, 1983 and 1985, respectively (in 1987 this school was renamed the International University for Nutrition Education).

To devote herself more fully to her family and her studies, she sold the thriving health food concern and shortly after began her clinical nutrition practice. It wasn’t until she took courses from the naturopathic physician who taught homeopathy, Robin Murphy, in the late 1980’s, and early ‘90’s, that her practice evolved into something even more profound. Some of her other homeopathic teachers included Samford Schwartz, Ivo Bianchi, Karl Robinson, Gary Ross, and Jacquelyn Wilson.

Sandra was the founder, in 1990, of the South Texas Center for Homeopathy, a National Center for Homeopathy (NCH) Associated Study Group (ASG) and the South Texas Education Center for Homeopathy and Nutrition (1986) where she taught nutrition and homeopathy from its inception until 1999. She was a co-founder of the Texas Society of Homeopathy.

Before much of that, in 1988, she received certification in nutrition as she became a Fellow of the American Council of Applied Clinical Nutrition (FACACN). She held the Certified Clinical Nutritionist (CCN) appellation, which she received in 1991.

Sandra’s clinical practice was dominated, however, by homeopathy; a love which burst forth during those seminal studies with Dr. Murphy. She then practiced actively for close to 25 years (1981-2005).

Sandra authored several good quality works which gained a certain popularity including The Homeopathic Treatment of Influenza (1999, 2005; “The first part of the book is a good history of influenza, including the pandemic of 1918. The second part discusses possible therapeutic interventions.”–Julian Winston), as well as the well written and useful guide, Homeopathy for the Modern Pregnant Woman and Her Infant (1997, 2008) and The Homeopathic Therapeutic Subject Reference: A Homeopathic Practice Guidebook for Midwives, Physicians and Health Care Practitioners (2008):

“…is an unusual repertory in that it is arranged by specific clinical conditions and intended to complement the use of other repertories by focusing primarily on underused or generally little-known remedies. This repertory cites only references where the exact clinical term is included in the homeopath’s work; conditions are listed by their pathological or therapeutic term.”– Laura Sholtz (American Homeopath, No.15, 2010, pp. 125,6).

Sandra Perko crossed the threshold in 2016 due to complications from Parkinson’s syndrome.

Mr. Yasgur wishes to acknowledge the assistance of Barri Perko Pool (Sandra’s daughter), Sherry Arrick, Renee Gianopolous and Abby Kurth in compiling this entry. Photo courtesy of Mrs. Perko Pool.