There is much confusion of the true symbol of medicine. The single staff with one snake-entwined is the current American Medical Association logo. The history of this ancient symbol with a heritage stretching over two millennia is shrouded in the fog of history. Many physicians as well as the public are unaware there are two distinct symbols commonly used which have two different origins. For example in a 2014 survey in India revealed that only six percent of physicians knew that the Staff of Asclepius was the true symbol of medicine.
Asclepius was the god of medicine and was the son of Apollo, the god of healing. The Staff of Asclepius is a rough-hewn branch representing plants and growth entwined by a single snake. Asclepius was known as the god of medicine. He was killed by his grandfather, Zeus, with a thunderbolt because not enough people were passing onto the underworld due to his healing skills.
Hermes (Mercury) was the messenger of the gods and known for carrying a staff known as the Caduceus. The caduceus included two snakes topped off with a set of wings. The Caduceus is from the Greek root meaning “herald’s wand” and was a badge of diplomatic ambassadors associated with commerce, eloquence, alchemy, thievery, and lying.
The popularity of the caduceus with two snakes is probably attributed to being more aesthetically appealing than the single snake on the Staff of Asclepius. The symmetry is more balanced than the single snake. The caduceus if often used in medically related industries such as pharmaceuticals and hospital supplies.
The snake is a powerful symbol. The ancients looked on the snake as a symbol of health and healing because it could shed and regenerate its’s skin. The snake also produced venoms which killed many parasites in the body. Many patients suffering from sickness such as depression were put into a temple healing rooms containing snakes to shock them out of their stupor.
Hippocrates of Kos was a physician the father of Western Medicine, ca. 450-380 BCE. It was believed that Hippocrates was a direct descendant of Asclepius. Hopefully, most of you know the Hippocratic Oath begins with the words “I swear by Apollo, the physician, and by Asclepius….”
The Staff of Asclepius has represented medicine since 800 BCE, and most knowledgeable medical authorities support its use as the symbol of medicine.
The New England Journal of Medicine, The American College of Physicians, and the World Health Organization use the Staff of Asclepius.
The Staff of Asclepius has represented medicine since 800 BCE and most authorities support its use as the symbol of medicine.
The Staff of Asclepius is the only true symbol of medicine
