'Telepathic' chiropractor surrenders his license

Columbus - A chiropractor who was accused of medical malpractice this spring for charging patients $60 an hour to heal their pain telepathically surrendered his license Thursday.

Dr. James C. Burda of Athens had claimed he possessed the power to heal clients via techniques he dubbed "Bahlaqeem Vina" and "Bahlaqeem Jaqem," made-up terms that he said described his ability to go back in time to the date of an injury and realign bones and joints using telekinetic vibration.

After stumbling across his Web site, bahlaqeem.com, the Ohio State Chiropractic Board accused him of being a long-distance quack, charging that a psychological exam determined he was mentally ill and suffered from "delusional disorder, grandiose type."

In an interview in April, Burda, 58, said he discovered his "God-given gift" when his foot began to hurt while he was driving from Athens to Parkersburg, W.Va. He said he commanded it to stop and the pain went away.

He was back in his car Thursday when a reporter called to ask about the surrender of his license and his written admission that Bahlaqeem "is not an acceptable form of treatment according to acceptable and prevailing standards of chiropractic care."

"I really can't speak to you right now; I'm in my vehicle," he said.