Most everyone can probably visualize the symbolization of doctors and their practice of medicine. One or more snakes intertwined around a single staff or rod. Different organizations use a variation of either two snakes wrapped around the rod or a single snake wrapped in the same manner. After hearing a story at church about how this symbolization came to be, I thought it would fitting to relate however confusion flourishes indefinitely as to the true beginnings of how the snake and the rod came to symbolize medicine.
According to the American Medical Association, that touts the single snake wrapped around a staff, the image is the Staff of Aesculapius. Aesculapius was a physician in Greece around 1200 B.C.E; he later came to be worshiped as a god through legend and myth in which he was hailed as Apollo’s son (drblayney). The confusion begins with how Aesculapius became associated with the snake and staff. American Medical Association relates that Aesculapius was examining a patient when a snake startled him; he beat it to death with his staff, then magically another snake appeared and fed the dead snake magic herbs from which he was brought back to life. However on the website http://drblayney.com/Asclepius.html, a more realistic story of how the symbol came about is told. It basically involves the common occurrence of parasitic worms in humans and before aseptic techniques they would make a cut, then the worm would crawl onto a stick and there you have your worm on a stick or as stories become embellished a snake on a rod. Another aspect is that the snake represents rejuvenation from the perspective of a snake shedding its skin during ecdysis. A further note on Aesculapius, there is a snake belonging to the Colubridae family that is aptly named the Aesculapian snake, Zamenis longissimus.
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| Aesculapian Snake |
Why there is confusion about which story is true concerning Asclepius, there is also the similar symbol with the two snakes and rod that was made famous by the U.S Medical Corp in the early 1900’s. This symbol is known as the Caduceus of Hermes; however this symbol has vastly different meanings than the Staff of Aesculapius. Not only are the stories about how the two snakes originated on the rod vastly different, from two snakes copulating and being separated by aforementioned rod to snakes fighting only to be separated by the rod and in turn were peaceful to each other. The Caduceus is also associated with the occult most likely because of the association of Hermes, as a mythological god he would deliver the dead to Hades. Also Hermes or Hermetic teachings were associated with alchemy and in turn the occult (drblayney). How the symbol came to be used was most likely an ill-informed U.S Medical Corp that didn’t research their logo before they used it.
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| The Caduceus |
Lastly, a third variation of the snake and staff are from a biblical reference. And this was basically the story I heard at church. Back in the Old Testament, the Israelites grew impatient with wondering around in the wilderness, which they often did, so they start complaining and speak out against God and their leader Moses. So what does God do but send venomous snakes to bite them. Now the Israelites see the error in their ways and they beg for repentance. The Lord accepts their repentance and instructs Moses to fashion a bronze snake upon a staff so that anyone who was bitten and looked upon the staff would live. This is a concise version; you can read more in Numbers chapter 21.
I was surprised to find so much information on a symbol that I had often seen before but didn’t understand its various origins and meaning. The symbol of the single snake and rod is clever though, it is a non-bias symbol, and it has two potential origins that no one can say for sure where it came from. And most likely it doesn’t offend anyone; people would probably still seek medical care regardless of the snake, the staff and its true meaning.
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Brazen Serpent by
Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld 1851-60 |
1 comment:
Cool!
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