Rod of Asclepius & Caduceus Symbols Meaning The Rod of Asclepius is an ancient Greek symbol associated with medicine, consisting of a serpent coiled around a rod. In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Asclepius was the god of medicine and healing. His daughters are Hygieia (goddess of cleanliness), Iaso (goddess of recuperation from illness), Aceso (goddess of the healing process), Aglea (the goddess of splendor and adornment), and Panacea (goddess of universal remedy). The Myth Asclepius is the god of Healing. He is the son of Apollo (god of healing, truth, and prophecy) and the nymph Coronis. While pregnant with Asclepius, Coronis secretly took a second, mortal lover. When Apollo found out, he sent Artemis to kill her. While Coronis burned on the funeral pyre, Apollo felt pity and rescued the unborn child from the corpse. Asclepius was taught about medicine and healing by the wise centaur Cheiron and became so skilled in it that he succeeded in bringing one of his patients back from the dead.

Zeus, king of the gods, felt that the immortality of the Gods was threatened and struck down the healer with a thunderbolt. At Apollo’s request, Asclepius was placed among the stars as Ophiuchus, the serpent-bearer. In the Iliad, Homer mentions Asceplius only as a skillful physician and the father of two Greek doctors at Troy, Machaon, and Podalirius; in later times, however, he was honoured as a hero and eventually worshiped as a god. The cult began in Thessaly but spread to many parts of Greece. Because it was supposed that Asclepius effected cures of the sick in dreams, the practice of sleeping in his temples in Epidaurus in South Greece became common. In 293 B.C. his cult spread to Rome. Asclepius was frequently represented standing and dressed in a long cloak with bare breast; his usual attribute was a staff with a serpent coiled around it. This staff is the only true symbol of medicine. The roman world In the Roman adaptation of the Greek pantheon, Asclepius was identified with the god Vediovis.

He was portrayed as a young man holding a bunch of arrows, pilum, (or lightning bolts) in his hand and accompanied by a goat. Romans believed that Vediovis was one of the first gods to be born. He was a god of healing and became associated with the Greek Asclepius. The probable medical origin of the single serpent around a rod There are two hypotheses as to where the Rod of Asclepius came from and how it became associated with medicine. One is the ‘worm theory’, which dates to the Ebers papyrus (~1500 BC), one of the first ancient Egyptian medical documents. The Ebers papyrus describes a treatment for worms. Parasitic worms, such as the Guinea Worm, were common in ancient times: they crawled around the victim’s body, just under the skin. Physicians treated this infection by cutting a slit in the patient’s skin, just in front of the worm’s path. As the worm crawled out the cut, the physician carefully wound the pest around a stick until the entire animal had been removed. Ancient physicians probably advertised this common service by putting a sign showing a worm on a stick in front of their house. The other hypothesis dates to the Bible.

In Biblical Lore, Moses carried a bronze staff, around which a bronze serpent was wound. Anyone bit by a serpent needed only look at the staff to be healed of the snake’s venom. This particular medical technique, I’m fairly certain, is not practiced today. The Rod of Asclepius is the logo of the World Health Organization and the symbol of the American Medical Association. The Caduceus The Rod of Asclepius symbol is often confused with the Caduceus, symbol of commerce associated with the Greek god Hermes. The Rod of Asclepius combines the snake with a rod, a simple tool. The serpent with its change of skin symbolizes rebirth and fertility. On the other hand, the Caduceus symbol consisted of a rod with two snakes coiled around it. The English word comes from the Latin caduceus, which echoes the ancient Greek kèrix, translated as herald. The word was mainly used to indicate the rod assigned to the Greek god Hermes as herald (messenger) of the gods and patron of commerce. This rod was represented with two wings on the top and two snakes to symbolize diligence and prudence, two characteristics very necessary in trading activities.

In Greek religion and mythology, Hermes was a god of transitions and boundaries. He was protector and patron of travelers, herdsmen, invention, and trade. In the Roman adaptation of the Greek pantheon, Hermes was identified with the Roman god Mercury, who developed many similar characteristics, such as being the patron of commerce. The Caduceus symbol alluded directly to the myth of Hermes, who saw two snakes fighting and touched them with his rod so that the two animals would stop fighting. Of course, peace is necessary for trade to flourish. Originally, the Caduceus was a rod or olive branch ending in two shoots and decorated with garlands or ribbons. Later the garlands were interpreted as two snakes entwined in opposite directions with their heads facing each other. A pair of wings, in token of Hermes’ speed, was attached to the staff above the snakes. As mentioned above, the Caduceus is often mistakenly used as a symbol of medicine because it is similar to the Rod of Asclepius. Summarizing, the Caduceus has two snakes on the staff and wings at the top. The Rod of Asclepius has a single snake and no wings. In Dan Brown’s Inferno , Dr.

Elizabeth Sinskey uses a lapis lazuli Rod of Asclepius as an amulet. Confusion of the Rod of Asclepius with the Caduceus From the early 16th century onwards, the Rod of Asclepius and the Caduceus of Hermes were widely used as printers’ marks in general publishing, especially as frontispieces to pharmacopoeias in the 17th and 18th centuries. Over time the Rod of Asclepian emerged as an independent symbol of medicine. Despite the unequivocal claim of the Rod of Asclepius representing medicine (and healing), the Caduceus appears to be the more popular symbol of medicine in the United States, probably due to simple confusion between two symbols. The practice was widely adopted by medical publishers in the United States. The Caduceus was thus inadvertently connected in the minds of some physicians with medicine. The dual snake symbol is the current emblem of many prominent U.S. medical organizations, and according to a survey conducted in 1993 of 242 medical logos, over 38% of American medical associations and over 63% of American hospitals use the Caduceus as their symbol.

This seems especially strange in light of the fact that many organizations use both the Caduceus and the Rod of Asclepius. For instance, within the army, the Caduceus is the sign of the U.S. Army Medical Corps, but the U.S. Army Medical Department uses the Rod of Asclepius. Many military organizations throughout the world have included the Rod of Asclepius in the symbol to represent their medical corps. The English Army (1889), French Army (1798), German Army (1868), and even the US Air Force use this symbol. Many medical organizations have also incorporated the Rod of Asclepius into their symbol: The American Medical Association, the New England Journal of Medicine, the American College of Physicians, and the World Health Organization, to name a few. A review of 12 medical dictionaries from England, France, and the U.S. prior to 1903, plus two dictionaries dealing with the French language from the 9th through the 16th centuries, showed no medical connection with the word Caduceus.

Here you find the Symbolism Dictionary, a comprehensive dictionary that lists approximately 5000 such topics and then graphically identifies symbols for them > bit.ly/dictionary-of-symbolism The Rod of Asclepius and the Caduceus | ferrebeekeeper Subscribe to feed The Rod of Asclepius and the Caduceus February 12, 2013 in History , Serpents , Uncategorized | Tags: American , ancient , Asclepius , caduceus , greed , Hermes , ironic , medicine , mixup , rod , serpent , snake , snakes , Symbol , Winged the Rod of Asclepius The rod of Asclepius—a serpent coiled around a staff–is a symbol from ancient Greek mythology which represents the physician’s art. Asclepius was a demigod who surpassed all other gods and mortals at the practice of medicine. Because his skills blurred the distinction between mortality and godhood, Asclepius was destroyed by Zeus (an exciting & troubling story which you can find here ). Asclepius There are several proposed reasons that a staff wrapped by a snake is the symbol of the god of medicine.

In some myths, Asclepius received his medical skills from the whispering of serpents (who knew the secrets of healing and revitalization because of their ability to shed their skin and emerge bigger and healthier). Some classicists believe the snake represents the duality of medicine—which can heal or harm depending on the dosage and the circumstance. Yet others see the serpent as an auger from the gods. Whatever the case, the rod of Asclepius is a lovely and distinctive symbol of medicine and has been since ancient times. Temples to Asclepius were constructed across the Greco-Roman world and served as hospitals of a sort. The serpent-twined rod of the great doctor was displayed at these institutions and became a symbol for western doctors who followed. Logo of the British Medical Association However there is a painfully apt misunderstanding between the rod of Asclepius and a similar symbol. Greek mythology featured a separate and entirely distinct symbolic rod wrapped with snakes, the caduceus—which has two snakes and is winged. The caduceus was carried by Hermes/Mercury, the god of merchants, thieves, messengers , and tricksters.

Hermes used the rod to beguile mortals or to touch the eyes of the dead and lead them to the underworld. Hermes holding the Caduceus In the United States the two rods have become confused because of a military mix-up in the early twentieth century (when a stubborn medical officer refused to listen to his subordinates and ordered the caduceus to be adopted as the symbol of the U.S. Medical Corps). Since then the caduceus has been extensively used by healthcare organizations in the United States and has come to replace the staff of Asclepius in the majority of uses. Commercial and for-profit medical organizations are particularly inclined to use the caduceus instead of the rod of Asclepius as the former is more visually arresting (although academic and professional medical organizations tend to use the staff of Asclepius). The Caduceus To recap: the caduceus, which symbolizes profit-seeking, theft, and death, has replaced the staff of Asclepius, an ancient symbol of healing, throughout the United States. Of course it is up to the reader to decide whether this is a painful misunderstanding, or a wholly appropriate representation of the actual nature of the broken American healthcare system.

HMOs, insurance companies, and hospitals, however have started to take note and are moving towards crosses and random computer generated bric-brac for their logos, leaving both ancient symbols behind. Caduceus vs Staff of Asclepius [Personification of Medical or healing Art and its ideals] Professional and patient centred organisations (such as the NZMA, in fact most medical Associations around the world including the World Health Organization) use the "correct" and traditional symbol of medicine, the staff of Asclepius with a single serpent encircling a staff, classically a rough-hewn knotty tree limb. Asclepius (an ancient greek physician deified as the god of medicine) is traditionally depicted as a bearded man wearing a robe that leaves his chest uncovered and holding a staff with his sacred single serpent coiled around it, (example right) symbolizing renewal of youth as the serpent casts off its skin. The single serpent staff also appears on a Sumerian vase of c. 2000 B.C. representing the healing god Ningishita, the prototype of the Greek Asklepios. However, there is a more practical origin postulated which makes sense [See Dracunculus medinensis ].

Statue of Askleppios at Guys Hospital Who was Asclepius? Asclepius was most probably a skilled physician who practised in Greece around 1200BC (and described in Homer's Iliad). Eventually through myth and legend he came to be worshipped as Asclepius, the (Greek) god of Healing. [See BBC reference ] Medical schools developed, which were usually connected to temples or shrines called Asclepions (Asclepieia) dedicated to Asclepius. The Asclepion became very important in Greek society. Patients believed they could be cured by sleeping in them. They would visit, offering gifts and sacrifices to the god, and be treated by priest healers (called the Asclepiadae). The worship of Asclepius spread to Rome and continued as late as the sixth century. The Asclepiadae were a large order of priest physicians who controlled the sacred secrets of healing, which were passed from father to son. Harmless Aesculapian snakes were kept in the combination hospital-temples built by the ancient Greeks and, later, by the Romans in honor of the god.

The snakes are found not only in their original range of southern Europe, but also in the various places in Germany and Austria where Roman temples had been established. Escaped snakes survived and flourished. Smooth, glossy, and slender, the snake has a uniformly brown back with a streak of darker color behind the eyes. The snake's belly is yellowish or whitish and has ridged scales that catch easily on rough surfaces, making it especially adapted for climbing trees. Scientific classification: The Aesculapian snake belongs to the family Colubridae. It is classified as Elaphe longissima. The Myth: Asclepius is the god of Healing. He is the son of Apollo and the nymph, Coronis. While pregnant with Asclepius, Coronis secretly took a second, mortal lover. When Apollo found out, he sent Artemis to kill her. While burning on the funeral pyre, Apollo felt pity and rescued the unborn child from the corpse. Asclepius was taught about medicine and healing by the wise centaur, Cheiron, and became so skilled in it that he succeeded in bringing one of his patients back from the dead.

Zeus felt that the immortality of the Gods was threatened and killed the healer with a thunderbolt. At Apollo's request, Asclepius was placed among the stars as Ophiuchus, the serpent-bearer. Meditrine , Hygeia and Panacea : The children of Asclepius included his daughters Meditrina, Hygeia and Panacea who were symbols of medicine, hygiene and healing (literally, "all healing") respectively. Two of the sons of Asclepius appeared in Homer's Illiad as physicians in the Greek army (Machaon and Podalirius). Note that the classic Hippocratice Oath is sworn "by Apollo the physician, by �sculapius, Hygeia, and Panacea, ....." The probable medical origin of the single serpent around a rod : In ancient times infection by parasitic worms was common. The filarial worm Dracunculus medinensis aka "the fiery serpent", aka "the dragon of Medina" aka "the guinea worm" crawled around the victim's body, just under the skin. Physicians treated this infection by cutting a slit in the patient's skin, just in front of the worm's path.

As the worm crawled out the cut, the physician carefully wound the pest around a stick until the entire animal had been removed. It is believed that because this type of infection was so common, physicians advertised their services by displaying a sign with the worm on a stick. [See graphic photos -not for the faint-hearted or Benjamin.] The staff as a Medical symbol: From the early 16th century onwards, the staff of Asclepius and the caduceus of Hermes were widely used as printers� marks especially as frontispieces to pharmacopoeias in the 17th and 18th centuries. Over time the rod and serpent (the Asclepian staff) emerged as an independent symbol of medicine. Despite the unequivocal claim of the staff of Asclepius to represent medicine (and healing), the caduceus, a rod with two entwined serpents topped by a pair of wings appears to be the more popular symbol of medicine in the United States, probably due to simple confusion between the caduceus and the staff of Asclepius, the true symbol of medicine. Many people use the word caduceus to mean both of these emblems.

CMA Rod of Asclepius - wikidoc Rod of Asclepius File:Rod of asclepius.jpg Rod of Asclepius The rod of Asclepius (also known as the rod of Asklepios, rod of Aesculapius or asklepian [1] ) is an ancient Greek symbol associated with astrology and with healing the sick through medicine . It consists of a serpent entwined around a staff . Asclepius , the son of Apollo , was practitioner of medicine in ancient Greek mythology . Contents 7 References Symbolism The rod of Asclepius symbolizes the healing arts by combining the serpent, which in shedding its skin is a symbol of rebirth and fertility , with the staff, a symbol of authority befitting the god of Medicine. The snake wrapped around the staff is widely claimed to be a species of rat snake, Elaphe longissima , also known as the Aesculapian or Asclepian snake. It is native to southeastern Europe, Asia Minor , and some central European spa regions, apparently brought there by Romans for their healing properties.

Origin There are several different theories as to the origin and development of the rod of Asclepius, any or all of which may have contributed to its development. The symbol is named for an ancient Greek legend, although the legend could be older. Greek mythology According to Greek mythology , Asclepius was said to have learned the art of healing from Chiron . He is customarily represented as a surgeon on the ship Argo , Asclepius was so skilled in the medical arts that he was reputed to have brought patients back from the dead. For this he was punished and placed in the heavens as the constellation Ophiuchus (meaning "serpent-bearer"). This constellation lies between Sagittarius and Libra . [2] In early Christianity , the constellation Ophiuchus was associated with Saint Paul holding the Maltese Viper. 'Worm' theory Some scholars have suggested that the symbol once represented a worm wrapped around a rod; parasitic worms such as the "guinea worm" ( Dracunculus medinensis ) were common in ancient times, and were extracted from beneath the skin by winding them slowly around a stick. Physicians may have advertised this common service by posting a sign depicting a worm on a rod.

[3] Biblical A similar symbol, Nehushtan , is mentioned in the Bible in Numbers 21:4–9. Attacked by a plague of snakes in the wilderness, Moses holds up a serpent coiled around a staff, both made from bronze , so that the Israelites might recover from the bites. [4] Usage The Star of Life features a rod of Asclepius. A number of organisations use the rod of Asceplius as their logo, or part of their logo. These include: The American Medical Association Confusion with the caduceus File:Caduceus.svg The caduceus is often incorrectly used as a symbol for medicine or doctors, in place of the rod of Asclepius which is the usual symbol of the medical profession. A 1992 survey of American health organisations found that 62% of professional associations used the rod of Asclepius, whereas in commercial organisations, 76% used the caduceus. [5] Early confusion between the symbols almost certainly arose due to the links between alchemy and Hermes , whose symbol is the caduceus.

The alchemists adopted the caduceus because Hermes, the God of Messengers, was also the patron lord of gamblers, thieves, tricksters and alchemists. By the end of the 16th century, alchemy became widely associated with medicine in some areas, leading to some use of the caduceus as a medical symbol. [6] The main reason for the modern confusion over the symbols occurred when the caduceus was adopted by the Medical Department of the United States Army in 1902. [1] This was brought about by one Captain Reynolds, who after having the idea rejected several times by the Surgeon General, persuaded the new incumbent (WH Forwood) to adopt it. The mistake was noticed several years later by the librarian to the surgeon general, but was not changed. [1] There was further confusion caused by the use of the caduceus as a printer's mark (as Hermes was the god of eloquence and messengers), which appeared in many medical textbooks as a printing mark, although subsequently mistaken for a medical symbol. [1] Standard representation The rod of Asclepius has a representation on the Miscellaneous Symbols table of the Unicode Standard at U+2695 (⚕).

See also The Star of Life features a rod of Asclepius. Symbolism The rod of Asclepius symbolizes the healing arts by combining the serpent, which in shedding its skin is a symbol of rebirth and fertility, with the staff, a symbol of authority befitting the god of Medicine. The snake wrapped around the staff is widely claimed to be a species of rat snake, Elaphe longissima, also known as the Aesculapian or Asclepian snake. It is native to southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, and some central European spa regions, apparently brought there by Romans for their healing properties. Origin There are several different theories as to the origin and development of the rod of Asclepius, any or all of which may have contributed to its development. The symbol is named for an ancient Greek legend, although the legend could be older. Greek mythology According to Greek mythology, Asclepius was said to have learned the art of healing from Chiron. He is customarily represented as a surgeon on the ship Argo. Asclepius was so skilled in the medical arts that he was reputed to have brought patients back from the dead.

For this he was punished and placed in the heavens as the constellation Ophiuchus (meaning "serpent-bearer"). This constellation lies between Sagittarius and Libra. In early Christianity, the constellation Ophiuchus was associated with Saint Paul holding the Maltese Viper. "Worm" theory Some scholars have suggested that the symbol once represented a worm wrapped around a rod; parasitic worms such as the "guinea worm" (Dracunculus medinensis) were common in ancient times, and were extracted from beneath the skin by winding them slowly around a stick. Physicians may have advertised this common service by posting a sign depicting a worm on a rod. Biblical A similar symbol, Nehushtan, is mentioned in the Bible in Numbers 21:4-9. Attacked by a plague of snakes in the wilderness, Moses holds up a serpent coiled around a staff, both made from bronze, so that the Israelites might recover from the bites. Confusion with the caduceus The Caduceus: Origins and Meanings | AVID Design The Caduceus: Origins and Meanings The caduceus is a globally recognized icon of medicine and healthcare.

Although not everybody knows its name or how to pronounce it, most everybody can recognize the caduceus—that ubiquitous medical icon with the two snakes wrapping around a winged rod. (By the way, it’s pronounced “kah-DOO-shuss.”) The caduceus is possibly one of the most ironic symbols ever invented—or more specifically, ever used. Although in modern times it is thought to represent compassion, life, science and other tenets of medicine and healthcare, the historic origins of its meanings present another story. The Caduceus in Modern Times The U.S. Army is often credited with making the caduceus the recognizable icon it is today. In 1902, the Army’s Medical Corps first started using it to recognize military physicians. Prior to 1902, the caduceus’ history becomes a bit more uncertain. Although the caduceus had been used in general publishing in the 16th and 17th century, it wasn’t until the 19th century when it first appeared on a medical text. The reasons for either usage are firmly related to mythological symbolism.

The Caduceus: Echoes of Mythology Printers in the 16th and 17th century related to the caduceus because of its connection to Hermes, the Greek messenger God. However, Hermes’ symbolic ties to medicine date back to the seventh century when scientists connected him to a then emerging interest in alchemy. However, in mythology, Hermes is more often associated with two concepts that aren’t usually aren’t associated with modern medicine: magic and death. In mythology, Hermes would lead the dead to the underworld—precisely the opposite of what physicians try to do to their patients! Asclepius: Snakes and Rods and the Caduceus The rod of Asclepius is actually more symbolically relevant to medicine and healthcare than the caduceus. So, how did Hermes become associated with the snakes, rod and wings that make a caduceus? Again, the answer can be found in Greek mythology—this time with Asclepius, a Greek god of medicine. The rod of Asclepius, which is also used by medical associations, features a single snake wrapped around a cypress branch. The snake represents rebirth; the branch represents strength.

It is thought that the rod of Asclepius evolved into the caduceus, inspired by Hermes’ seventh-century connection to alchemy. Although there isn’t much consensus about the meaning of the second snake, most agree that the winged rod (which replaced the branch) symbolized magic—yet another bizarre concept that has little relevance with modern medicine! Derek Rudnak | Communications Specialist | AVID Design This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 11th, 2009 at 8:00 am and is filed under Research and Studies . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. 13 responses to “The Caduceus: Origins and Meanings” […] The Caduceus: Origins and Meanings […] Mark Jones Very interesting and informative article. Thanks! Garrett The second snake on the caduceus makes a double helix Coop Wow- great find! Thanks so much for reading. Justin September 24, 2013 at 3:05 pm Hi, I don’t mean to nitpick, but this is not exactly right.

The Rod of Asclepius (the patron god of medicine) is actually the only correct medical symbol. Hermes (Mercury in the Roman pantheon) was the messenger of the gods (with little wings on his ankles) and was the god of resolution of disputes. He was given a small staff with wings at the top, and when he arrived on earth he found two snakes fighting under a leaf. He stuck his staff in between, and they immediately stopped fighting and curled lovingly around the staff. There’s a great statue of the creation of the caduceus in the Louvre. However, he wasn’t the god of medicine. Due to the snake it got confused with Hermes’ caduceus in use in North American medical system (in part as you point out quite correctly due to Hermes’ association with alchemy), and while it’s common around here, it’s just a very common local mistake. Exodus 7:1-25 King James Version (KJV) 7 And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.

2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land. 3 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them. 6 And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them, so did they. 7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh. 8 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.

10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. 13 And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said. 14 And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go. 15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river’s brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.

16 And thou shalt say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. 17 Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. 18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river. 19 And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.

20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. 21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said. 23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also. 24 And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river. 25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the Lord had smitten the river. Marie Hay July 23, 2014 at 4:26 am The Bronze Snake 4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea,[c] to go around Edom.

But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” 6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived. Snakes, Mistakes, and Mythology!

The Use of the Rod of Asclepius and the Caduceus in Modern Medicine | Museum of Health Care Blog Museum of Health Care Blog Filed under… Tags Our thanks to the CFKA for funding our project, "An Exercise in Strategic Thinking" through their Community Grants… twitter.com/i/web/status/8… 1 day ago Museum of Health Care's artefact on loan in Ottawa today twitter.com/CaulfieldTim/s… 1 week ago RT @ lisapaddle : We forget our history. #vaccineswork @ cic2016cci 1 week ago Rorschach inkblots from our collection (c.1948-1955), used to examine a person's personality characteristics - I se… twitter.com/i/web/status/7… 1 month ago We're so glad you had fun with us @ Winston5s ! Thanks for sharing the photos! twitter.com/Winston5s/stat… 1 month ago Posted on August 13, 2014 by Museum of Health Care The following blog post was written by 2014 Collections Technician Katrin MacPhee* While handling an artifact from the Museum’s collection, a familiar sight piqued my curiosity.

Stamped onto a pin awarded by the Canadian Medical Association was a snake coiled around a staff. I had seen the same symbol on the badges of emergency health service workers, emblazoned on ambulances, and on pharmaceutical logos. I wondered, what were the origins this symbol? Why was it significant to medical organizations? Through what process had so many health professionals adopted it as a representation of their work? Medical pins from the Collection of the Museum of Health Care, 1976.33.3p5, 1900-1930 Medical pins from the collection of the Museum of Health Care, 1976.33.2p4, c. 1908-1933 The symbol, called the Rod (or Staff) of Asklepios (in Greek) or Asclepius (the popularized version of the Latin name) represents the Greco-Roman god of healing. According to a fairly recent exploration of the symbol within the Annals of Internal Medicine, Asclepius was a revered figure within Greco-Roman medical traditions between 1200 B.C.E. until 500 C.E, and was upheld as the ideal physician.

Appearing in The Illiad (circa 9th to 10th century BCE) as a mortal but heroic healer, by the 8th century BCE he was deified and worshipped as the son of Apollo, whose healing powers he was believed to have improved. Scholars have traced the actual historical figure of Ascelpius and his family to the region of Thessaly in Greece. [2] By the 6th century B.C.E., hundreds of temple complexes, called Asklepions, existed throughout the Greco-Roman world. [3] Some of the most extensive of these facilities had centres for medical practices, and in time Asclepius became perceived as the patron of physicians, especially those who treated the vulnerable and the poor. [4] “Kos Asklepeion”. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-via Wikimedia Commons – Although several origin myths of the Rod symbol exist, the one generally accepted as the most popular tells the tale of Asclepius examining a man recently struck dead by one of Zeus’ lightening bolts. Startled by an approaching snake, the healer killed the snake with his staff. A second snake quickly appeared and placed some herbs into the dead snake’s mouth, thereby restoring it to life.

Asclepius, so the legend goes, quickly followed the snake’s example and revived the man from the dead. As a tribute to the snake, he then adopted the symbol of the snake coiled around the rod as his own emblem. [5] As a recent analysis of the symbol’s enduring popularity notes, it is rather bizarre that the snake has withstood lengthy centuries as a healing symbol. On a cultural level, within Christian societies snakes are often associated with the Fall of Man and various vices. [6] And yet, according to historian and doctor Touraj Nayernouri, despite their apparently unsavory connotations, “in the history of medicine, few (symbols) have survived the vicissitudes of time and the changing fashions, except the image of the serpent.” [7] Authors of an exploration of the symbols of the snake and the healing staff within Egyptian, Greek, and Judeo-Christian traditions argue the snake in particular has been perceived alternatively as a symbol of rejuvenation, of luck, of the earth’s fertility, and of sin, death, resurrection, and therapy, making it overall a rather appropriate symbol for modern practitioners.

[8] Notice the sign of the Rod of Asclepius on another artifact from the Museum of Healthcare at Kingston’s collection-this time pictured on a Canadian Medical Corps Medical Officer’s Mess Uniform circa 1920, 1972.13.1 p5 The longevity of the symbol is particularly remarkable in light of its widespread and prolonged suppression throughout much of Europe. The Rod of Asclepius, alongside many other symbols of Greco-Roman Gods and Goddesses, was banned by the Catholic Church throughout much of the early Christian era and the Middle Ages. As uroscopy, the examination of urine for signs of disease, rose to prominence as a pre-eminent healing practice, the urine flask became the most recognizable symbol of medicine during the Middle Ages. However, during and after the Protestant Reformation, Catholic patron saints of medicine lost favour and ancient healing symbols regained popularity in many Northern European areas. The symbol re-emerged, alongside other classical themes, in Renaissance artwork. [9] By the beginning of the 17th century, the Rod of Asclepius was widely adopted as a symbol of the medical profession in many regions of Europe.

[10] As Jan Schouten, a historian of the art of the Rod of Asclepius has argued, by the 18th century the symbol’s link to ancient Gods and pagan healing practices had largely been obscured as it was embraced by a wide array of medical practitioners. [11] That practice continues as today many organizations use the rod as part of their logos. Interestingly, I was almost as accustomed to seeing two snakes intertwined around a staff beneath unfolded wings used as a medical symbol, as I was with the singular snake of the Rod of Asclepius. Had I been mistaking the two symbols? Why would some medical groups wear the sign with two snakes instead of one, or vice versa? Once I began reading a little about medical symbology I realized myself and others could be forgiven for the confusion. The dual snake symbol, called the Caduceus, is the current emblem of many prominent medical organizations, and it is particularly popular within the United States. According to a survey conducted in 1993 of 242 medical logos, over 38% percent of American medical associations and over 63% of American hospitals use the Caduceus as their symbol.

[12] This seems especially strange in light of the fact that many organizations use both the Caduceus and the Rod of Asclepius. For instance, within the army, the Caduceus is the sign of the U.S. Army Medical Corps, but the U.S. Army Medical Department uses the Rod of Asclepius. [13] “USA – Army Medical Corps” by United States Army – United States Army. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons – #mediaviewer/File:USA_-_Army_Medical_Corps.png “AMEDD Regimental Flag” by United States Army – U.S. Army Medical Department Regiment Office. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons – The Caduceus’ place of pride on medical badges, crests, and logos has never been without its vocal detractors. The caduceus is the sign of Hermes (as he is known in Greek mythology, or Mercury, as he is known in Roman mythology). Hermes was the messenger of the Gods, a patron of travelers, the conductor of the dead to the world of the afterlife, the conveyor of dreams, and the protector of merchants, commerce, and thieves.

Hermes’ staff was also associated with peacemaking and negotiating, during the Imperial Roman era the Caduceus was an olive branch wrapped with white linen and was used to designate noncombatants on a battlefield. Given these associations, some historians and medical professionals have argued that the Caduceus is an inappropriate symbol for medical professions. In particular, Hermes’ role as a conductor of the dead has been claimed as unfitting for a profession dedicated to healing. [14] The occasional dissenting voice has sought to redeem the symbol’s relevance to medicine due to the use of the Caduceus as a sign of honour within the Royal College of Physicians in London in the 1500s, and its popularity with alchemists the Middle Ages and Oculists in Roman times (both fields connected to healing practices). However, even amongst those who point to the Caduceus’ tangential relevance to the history of medicine maintain that its popularity is doubtless due to an error. [15] Indeed, as historians Wilcox and Whitman argue, the adoption of the Caduceus by the medical community was a mistake rooted in the similarity of the image to the symbol of the Rod of Asclepius.

The Caduceus was featured prominently on texts printed by the prolific medical text publisher John Churchill of London in the 19th century. Churchill also printed the Rod of Asclepius on his books, so it was likely that he deliberately selected the Caduceus as the sign of his printing business, and was not attempting to promote it as a symbol for the medical profession as a whole. The proliferation of the Caduceus on these respected medical texts has been cited as the probable reason why the symbol became popularized within the early 20th century. [16] Historian Touraj Nayernouri argued assistant surgeon Captain Frederick Reynolds of the U.S. Army Medical Corps was the originator of the confusion. Evidently Captain Reynolds insisted that the symbol was commonly used by many European army medical corps (wrongly, as most used Christian imagery or the Rod of Asclepius) and that it would therefore be appropriate as a collar insignia for his organization. [17] Although Reynolds’ request was at first denied by Surgeon General G.W. Steinberg, it was approved by his successor, Surgeon General W.H. Forwood.

Reynolds’ confusion is evident in that he referred to his proposed design as the Rod of Asclepius in his correspondence with both men. The error did not go unnoticed for long, By 1917 the librarian to the Surgeon General publicly bemoaned the use of the inappropriate symbol. [18] In 1924 a debate broke out in the pages of The Military Surgeon over whether or not the symbol was appropriate for the U.S. Army Medical Corps. While some writers argued the profession should universally correct their error and adopt the Rod of Asclepius, one writer countered that the symbol was appropriate. In Encyclopedia of United States Army Insignia and Uniforms William Emerson stated the symbol was not adopted by the Medical Corps for its medical connotations, but for the Caduceus’ ancient use in designating neutrality amongst noncombatants, and was therefore chosen wisely and deliberately. [19] Regardless of this debate, the Caduceus was adopted by the Navy Hospital Corps and many other organizations in the early 20th century including, briefly, the American Medical Association.

[20] Its continuing popularity with medical associations, and, even more so, commercial medical organizations, has been attributed to the prioritization of easily recognizable logos over iconographically correct ones. [21] At the least, heated discussion surrounding the symbols of medical associations draws attention to the interwoven histories of mythology and medicine. Most modern medical organizations are secular institutions firmly rooted in ideas of scientific rationality, but it certainly is interesting to view the occupation’s symbols within the continuum of their past. In an age when many medical professionals would likely avoid a public association with a pre-modern symbol of spirituality, it is rather neat that such symbols persist right under our noses, on our ambulances, hospitals, and medical uniforms. *We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada (Youth Employment Strategy) through the Department of Canadian Heritage for the Young Canada Works Program. Bibliography Antoniou , Stavros A., Antoniou, George A., Learney , Robert , Granderath, Frank A. and Athanasios I. Antoniou. “The Rod and the Serpent: History’s Ultimate Healing Symbol.” World Journal of Surgery 35, 1 (January 2011): 217-21.

Emerson, William K. Encyclopedia of United States Army Insignia and Uniforms. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1996. Engle, Bernice.”The Use of Mercury’s Caduceus as a Medical Emblem.” The Classical Journal 25, 3 (December 1929): 204-8. Friedlander, Walter J. The Golden Wand of Medicine. New York: Greenwood Press, Hart, G. D. “The Earliest Medical Use of the Caduceus.” Canadian Medical Association Journal 107, 11 (December 1972): 1107-1110. Nayernouri, Touraj “Asclepius, Caduceus, and Simurgh as Medical Symbols Part 1,” Archives of Iranian Medicine 13, 1 (January 2010): 61-8. Schouten, Jan. The Rod and the Serpent of Asklepios: Symbol of Modern Medicine. New York: Elsevier Pub. Co., 1967. Mineka, S. and M. Cook.

“Social learning and the Acquisition of Snake Fear in Monkeys.” In: Social Learning: Psychosocial and Biological Perspectives, edited by T. Zentall and B Galef, 51-73. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, 1988. Sacks, Alexandra C., and Robert Michels, “Caduceus and Asclepius: History of an Error.” The American Journal of Psychiatry 169, 5 (May 2012): 464. Wilcox, Robert A. and Emma M. Whitman. “The Symbol of Modern Medicine: Why One Snake is More than Two.” Annals of Internal Medicine 138, 8 (15 April 2003): 673-8. [1] Touraj Nayernouri, “Asclepius, Caduceus, and Simurgh as Medical Symbols Part 1,” Archives of Iranian Medicine 13, 1 (January 2010): 62.

[2] Touraj Nayernouri, “Asclepius, Caduceus, and Simurgh as Medical Symbols Part 1,” Archives of Iranian Medicine 13, 1 (January 2010): 62. [3] Robert A. Wilcox and Emma M. Whitman, “The Symbol of Modern Medicine: Why One Snake is More than Two,” Annals of Internal Medicine 138, 8 (15 April 2003): 674. [4] Alexandra C Sacks and Robert Michels, “Caduceus and Asclepius: History of an Error,” The American Journal of Psychiatry 169, 5 (May 2012): 464. [5] Wilcox and Whitman, “Why One Snake is More than Two,” 673. [6] Stavros A. Antoniou ,George A. Antoniou, Robert Learney , Frank A. Granderath and Athanasios I.

Antoniou, “The Rod and the Serpent: History’s Ultimate Healing Symbol,” World Journal of Surgery 35, 1 (January 2011): 217-9. [7] Touraj Nayernouri, “Asclepius, Caduceus, and Simurgh as Medical Symbols Part 1,” 61. [8] Stavros A. Antoniou ,George A. Antoniou, Robert Learney , Frank A. Granderath and Athanasios I. Antoniou, “The Rod and the Serpent: History’s Ultimate Healing Symbol,” 221. [9] Jan Schouten, The Rod and the Serpent of Asklepios: Symbol of Modern Medicine (New York: Elsevier Pub. Co., 1967): 62-85. [10] Wilcox and Whitman, “Why One Snake is More than Two,” 675. [11] Jan Schouten, The Rod and the Serpent of Asklepios: Symbol of Modern Medicine, 116. [12] Walter J.

Friedlander, The Golden Wand of Medicine (New York: Greenwood Press, 1992): 9-22. [13] Wilcox and Whitman, “Why One Snake is More than Two,” 675. [14] Wilcox and Whitman, “Why One Snake is More than Two,” 676. [15] G. D. Hart, “The Earliest Medical Use of the Caduceus,” Canadian Medical Association Journal 107, 11 (December 1972): 1110. [16] Wilcox and Whitman, “Why One Snake is More than Two,” 676 [17] Touraj Nayernouri, “Asclepius, Caduceus, and Simurgh as Medical Symbols Part 1,” 66. [18] Wilcox and Whitman, “Why One Snake is More than Two,” 675. [19] William K. Emerson, Encyclopedia of United States Army Insignia and Uniforms (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1996): 181-2.

[20] Bernice Engle, “The Use of Mercury’s Caduceus as a Medical Emblem,” The Classical Journal 25, 3 (December 1929): 207. [21] Friedlander, The Golden Wand of Medicine, 150-170.

Question: The Rod of Asclepius, a serpent and rod symbol from Greek mythology, is a widely used logo icon in?
Answer: Medicine