The Herscu Module of Cycles and Segments
Paul Herscu is a naturopathic doctor who has developed a theory or perspective on dealing with many of the problems which exist in homeopathy. Specifically, he tries to address the issue of the mathematical bias built into the repertory in which larger, well-known remedies always appear first in the repertorization. Careful study of the totality of the patient’s symptoms allows us to overcome this problem somewhat. There is also the issue of which symptoms to use. A related problem is that not all the patient’s symptoms can generally be matched to a single remedy. He has pointed out a number of other problems as well.
Dr. Herscu’s Module of Cycles and Segments is his theory of studying a patient and remedies by breaking the symptoms and the remedies and identifying the pattern of disease. His module is an attempt to understand homeopathy through the cycles or patterns each remedy expresses and it’s segments or sub-patterns.
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Remedies have different states or segments in them. For example, Lachesis might appear differently depending on who gives the lecture you have heard or writes the article you have read. These aren’t right or wrong. The different views represent different states or segments of the process of the remedy. It is a process of changing from one state to another.
It has value from a repertorial point of view. You can break the symptoms into four to six segments. You can put rubrics into these four to six segments. If you have a small remedy that appears in only one rubric in each segment, it will receive more weight than traditional, flat repertorization. The question, Which remedies are found in all segments? is crucial to this model.
When using the Herscu Module you are grouping rubrics together and you are making the grouped rubric an elimination rubric.
Advantages to using the Herscu Module
The Herscu Module has advantages over simple flat repertorization.
First, it brings organization and understanding to patients and the remedies. In order to use it, you must understand your patient well and the remedies which might help your patient.
Second, it resolves the issue of having 600 remedies appear. You either don’t know where to stop looking or you only look at the first few remedies. By combining rubrics and making each combined rubric and elimination rubric, more smaller remedies appear with a higher preference, and fewer polychrest remedies appear among the first choices.
Guidelines for using the Herscu Module
- There cannot be any rubrics in the symptom clipboard when you are using the Interactive version of the Herscu model.
- You disregard intensity with the Herscu model.
- The steps in the Herscu module can be done manually. You would simply place different ideas in different clipboards. If you have more than one rubric which represents the same idea, you must group the rubrics (lower case). The rubrics must also be made into elimination rubrics.
- When creating a segment, you should have 150 – 200 remedies per segment. So, if you have small rubrics, you should have several rubrics in that particular segment. It is better to err on the side of too many remedies than too few.
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Changing the Herscu Options:
1.From the Options menu, choose Herscu Options. (Alt + O, H). The Herscu Options dialog box appears.
2.Set the desired options.
3.Click Save (Alt + S).
4.Click OK or Press Enter.
Choose Options, Herscu Options.
Set the options to Always display Introduction screen and work in an interactive way.
Click Save (Alt + S).
Click OK or press Enter.
There are two ways to use the Herscu module, the free way and the interactive way. The Free way assumes that you have taken a case and you have grouped the rubrics together into modules. The Interactive way guides you through the questions to create modules. It is recommended that when you are new to the Herscu module that you use the Interactive way.
NOTE
If you already have rubrics in the symptom clipboard, you will be forced into the Free way of using the Herscu module, rather than being able use the Interactive way. The Interactive way assumes you are starting with empty clipboards.
To start the Herscu module the Interactive Way:
1.Press F7 to open the symptom clipboard.
2.From the Edit menu, choose Clear All Clipboards to remove any symptoms that may already be in clipboards.
3.Click the Herscu module button -or- Press Alt + F9. The Herscu module Introduction screen appears.
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Press F7.
From the Edit menu, choose Clear All Clipboards.
Click the Herscu module button or press Alt + F9.
To use the Herscu module:
1.After opening the Herscu module, click the Continue button on the Introductory screen. The Herscu module opens:
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2.The first question asks for the strongest symptom or complaint. Begin typing the title of the chapter which contains the strongest symptom and follow the Quick Menu process as described above. When entering the symptom into the clipboard, you do not have to type + because the Herscu module disregards intensity of symptoms.
3.After you have entered the symptom into clipboard, the clipboard on the left displays a number and the Detail window appears.
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4.If another symptom represents the same idea, begin typing the rubrics with the Quick Command Window. If not, click None. You will be prompted to give a name to the clipboard.
5.Enter a new name or press Enter to accept the largest rubric as the name of the clipboard. The Segments Circle window appears, prompting you to answer the questions, What does this idea lead the patient to?
6.Begin entering rubrics as you did with the first clipboard.
7.When you have finished this idea, press Enter until prompted for the next question, “What does this lead the patient to?”
8.Enter all the rubrics necessary to complete this idea.
9.When prompted by the next question, “What does this idea lead the patient to?”, enter those rubrics.
10.When you have from four to six segments, you can discontinue entering rubrics.
11.Press Ctrl + End when you have finished entering rubrics. -or- Click the Validate Case button. The Segments Detail window appears and asks “Is this your patient?”
12.If not, choose No and continue to add segments. If so, choose Yes.
13.If you have chosen Yes, the Segments Analysis Window appears with lists of possible remedies.
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Follow the instructor as indicated during the demonstration. The following rubrics will be entered into the first segment of the Herscu model. MIND, Fear, High places, of VERTIGO, High, Places
Name the first segment Heights Aggravates.
The following rubric will be entered into the second segment of the Herscu model. MIND, Anxious
Name the second segment the same as the rubric.
The following rubric will be entered into the third segment of the Herscu model. GENERALS, Food and Drink, Sweets, Desires.
Name the third segment the same as the rubric.
GENERALS, Weakness.
Name the fourth segment the same as the rubric.
End the Herscu model.
The following is a case to practice entering into the Herscu module using the interactive method. This case is reviewed on the tape.
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Enter the following rubrics in the Herscu module: Nose, Polypus Rectum, Hemorrhoids
Name the group of symptoms Obstructions.
Enter the following rubrics into the next segment: Nose, Smell, diminished Nose, Smell, wanting
Name the group of symptoms Poor Sensitivity
Enter the following rubrics into the next segment: Mind, Dullness Mind, Forgetful, Menopause, during Mind, Concentration, Difficult
Name the group of symptoms No Sensitivity
Enter the following rubrics into the next segment: Mind, Company, desire for Mind, Dancing
Name the group of symptoms Desires Connections
Enter the following rubrics into the next segment: Nose, Sneezing Perspiration, Perspiration in general
Name the group of symptoms Discharges
Enter the following rubrics into the next segment: Nose, Coryza, suppressed Mind, Menopause, agg Female Genitalia/Sex, Menopause
Name the group of symptoms Suppression of Discharges
Fissure Case
The following case will provide additional practice on the Herscu module and understanding of another small remedy.
40 year old woman
Chief Complain: anal fissure
Better hot water, painful with bowel movements, may bleed.
Once it cuts, it may take 1 – 2 months to heal, then it cuts again.
Gets Constipated because she is scared to have a bowel movement.
Sleeps on the lighter side. The thoughts in her mind, she goes over and over them, she worries about her job, people, especially if somebody did something wrong, all the thoughts and worry keep her up, eventually she will have to tell them.
Has Heart palpitations and night sweats
Has menses every 30 days.
What is going on with you?
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“When I was a kid, until 25, had anxiety attacks, nothing seemed real, especially me, didn’t know what I wanted. I wasn’t there.
“If somebody didn’t like me, it was my fault. They don’t like me because there’s something wrong with me. Never express my opinion—always put my foot in my mouth, I always mess up. I feel flawed. When somebody does something to me, I don’t complain. I brood until I finally say something, but I say it wrong and get embarrassed. I have never been able to chit-chat.”
She is somewhat closed, she has a type of not knowing/confusion. Her expression of feelings and emotions come out wrong and then she feels embarrassed. She then retreats and gets into a closed state. She has an inability to know herself, but is concerned about people and right and wrong.
Emergent quality—every time she expresses herself, there’s a bad result. Bowel movement; when she speaks.
Enter the following rubric into the first segment of the interactive method of the Herscu Module: Mind, Company, aversion to
Name the first segment the same as the rubric.
Enter the following rubrics into the next segment: Mind, Confusion of mind, identity, as to his Mind, Confusion of mind, identity, as to his, duality, sense of Mind, Irresolution, indecision Mind, Confidence, want of self-confidence.
Name the segment Irresolution, Indecision.
Enter the following rubric into the next segment: Mind, Cares, full of
Name the segment the same as the rubric.
Enter the following rubric into the next segment: Mind Loquacity
Name the segment the same as the rubric.
Enter the following rubric into the next segment: Mind, Awkward
Name the segment the same as the rubric.
Enter the following rubric into the next segment: Mind, Timidity
Name the segment the same as the rubric.
