Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Highlights of Writing on Epidemics by Paul Herscu ND, MPH

In 2004, I wrote that I was taking a hiatus from epidemic updates, until and if there were to be a serious reason to write again. I was running myself down with work and family and late night reading and research on epidemics. To say that I had to stop my hiatus almost as soon as it started is not an exaggeration. I have followed these world and local events closely for three decades and most often delineated the steps that should be taken, often weeks to months before they were finally adopted. We have so much to understand about the way epidemics arise and what best strategies for treatment are. 

 1. In 1991, I wrote and focused on the topic of epidemics, stating that epidemics will be a big problem for us in the near future. I focused among other points, on specific steps that the homeopathic community needed to undertake to fulfill its potential.

2. In 1997, I wrote and lectured extensively about the 1997 avian flu in Hong Kong and its implications for our future. Again, I listed the steps that our community should undertake, mechanisms that would help if and when a pandemic arose. The point I made over and again was that this is a major nightmare in healthcare, a coming pandemic. 

3. In 1997, I began to lecture and write on the topic in earnest, laying out a foundation of how classical homeopaths could look at epidemics, at how they make sense, and described a process by which we could offer help to the public health care system.

4. In 1999-2000 I spoke about public health and wrote about the dangers of epidemics due to the world turning into more of a global village, as well as the additional threat of bioterrorism. 

5. I began to teach foundational information about epidemics in different countries, culminating with the closing lecture at the Swiss National Conference in St. Galen in 2001. Not only had I described the process, but also spoke of the problems that lie ahead. 

6. During the Anthrax scare of 2001, I described the process that we homeopaths should be taking, as well as essential steps for the government to take. As you read, the government in fact wound up undertaking all of the suggestions that I wrote about, from 1 week to 3 months after publication of those ideas. 

7. Likewise, with SARS, 2003-2004, I wrote on the topic, stating several years in advance where this type of illness would occur, the symptoms, the causes, and what the government would have to do to stop the progression. More or less that is what the government would wind up doing. During the actual time, we discussed homeopathic treatment options. 

8. I described the influenza seasons of 2001-2009, describing common symptoms, the remedies, the likely peaking of the illnesses and what the government would be doing. I was on target each time, with many Updates throughout the seasons, each time stating what would happen, from one week to months ahead of what actually occurred. While many panicked, the readers of these updates did not, as there was a clear sense of what was happening and the fact that the government would later say the same thing, made many comfortable with the correct assessments.

9. The Dog Food Recall in 2007 (due to liver toxicity), I weighed in on and called the natural history and outcome of that grisly episode as well as the symptoms and treatment options. 

10. I described a clinical trial design, in published papers, that would test and hopefully prove once and for all, the safety and efficacy of homeopathy during the treatment of influenza. 

11. During the 2011 electromagnetic radiation and the Fukushima nuclear disaster, I described what happened, what was currently happening, what would happen for the next few years, and what the government would have to do, which did eventually take place.

12. I wrote about Hurricane Sandy in 2012, describing public health measures that the government and people would have to take, which is what actually happened. 

13. I defined and articulated information related to the Silent Vertigo Epidemic, 2012, which remains the first time that an epidemic of vertigo was fully described. 

14. During the Avian Flu (H7N9) in 2013, I aptly described how the epidemic would play out and the actual mistakes the government was making and how to fix them, which is how it turned out, sadly, after having spent billions of dollars based on inaccurate assumptions. 

15. I wrote extensively on the Ebolavirus epidemic of 2014-2015, on what to worry about, what the government should do, and what the natural course would be. I was 100% correct, most of the time weeks to months ahead of CDC and the WHO. 

16. With the Zikavirus, 2015-2016, I described the most likely course of the epidemic. Also, something that had not happened to date, which was how to deal with the actual mosquito issue. 

17. In 2017, I wrote about the third wave prevention of infectious diseases. Here I focused on the concept of using copper as a surface material which creates a halo effect where germs cannot survive, creating a passive clean surface for hospitals, nursing homes, medical clinic and more. Since that time there are several more research articles published showing efficacy, though hospitals remain hesitant to adopt this approach. 

18. For the Influenza like illnesses characterized in 2017-2020, we described the unusual situation where many adults developed asthma for the first time, due to the unusual non-influenza virus of those years. I also described treatment approaches based on common presenting symptoms.