Symbol #3 - The Caduceus Icon

Caduceus Icon

The Caduceus is a globally recognized icon for medicine and healthcare, however, the Rod of Asclepius would actually be more symbolically relevant for those who practice medicine to display, claiming to offer remedy and healing.  In mythology, Hermes was associated with magic and death.  It was said that he lead the dead to the underworld - precisely the opposite of what physicians intend to do with their patients.  However, the US Army was accredited with making the Caduceus icon recognizable in 1902, using it to distinguish their military physicians in their Medical Corps.

The Caduceus, a Greek symbol associated with alchemy and wisdom, pictures two entwined serpents upon a short staff surmounted by wings, symbolizing magic, which has little relevance with modern day medicine.  It is depicted as being carried by Hermes in Greek mythology.  It is said that the wand would wake the sleeping and send the awakened to sleep and also allow the dying to receive a gentle death and return life to the dead.  In the late 19th and 20th century, the use of this symbol for medicine was a result of a documented mistake, misunderstanding and confusion with The Rod of Asclepius.  The scientists during the seventh century actually connected Hermes with alchemy, which relates more towards magic, spirituality, chemistry and religion, not medicine.  The Caduceus is a time-honored symbol incorrectly used, supposedly, by various groups for medicine and the healing arts.  It is a hybrid of the staff of Hermes, which represented fertility, originally intended as a symbol of commerce and trade.  In the 16th century, a German printer, by the name of Johannes Froben decided to use it on the cover of a number of medical texts, which then moved the US Army Medical Corps., US Marine Hospital Service and the Public Health Service to adopt it as their symbol of choice as well.

Asclepius

The Rod of Asclepius, on the other hand, which is a single non-venomous serpent entwined upon a rod wielded by the Greek god Asclepius, the deity associated with healing and medicine, would prove to be a more fitting symbol; however, to this day the Caduceus is still being displayed by some commercial organizations practicing medicine, offering medical services and distributing medical products, instead of the Asclepius, which is most appropriately associated with medicine and healthcare.  The Asclepius' use of a serpent to represent it significance has been interpreted in many ways: because of how a snake sheds its' old skin revealing a much healthier layer of skin beneath it, his techniques were described as renewing and rejuvenating.  Also, in ancient times, products obtained from the snake were known to have medicinal properties, as well.  Asclepius obtained the attribution of a non-venomous serpent, due to his talent to heal soothingly and for deferring the withering that comes with death, indicating that those who availed through his techniques underwent a process similar to the serpent.  They grew younger after the healing treatments of illnesses, sloughing off old age as the snake does when it sheds its old skin.  Also, because of the serpents strong attention aspects that are much needed in medical treatments.  The staff it is entwined upon suggests the healing and resurrection powers believed to be possessed in its rod.  It can represent the practice of medicine because it expresses the physician's dual nature of working with life and death, sickness and health, along with the use of drugs to heal, which can be both helpful and harmful.  While the Caduceus, ironically symbolizes something totally different. 

Neither of these symbols are evil, occultic or negative, but knowing what they mean would help those who are aware of their symbolism be much more equipped when they show up in their communities.