The Caduceus
When most people think of doctors or the entire medical profession, they usually think of a symbol consisting of two snakes wrapped around a winged rod: the Caduceus. However, the correct symbol is actually the staff of Asklepios (or Aesculapius), which is a staff entwined with only one serpent.
The caduceus has a long history, with its origins dating back over four thousand years. However, its use as the universal medical symbol is relatively recent. In 1856, the United States Marine Service needed a symbol for the uniformed non-combatant medical personnel. They mistakenly chose the caduceus rather than the surgeon general’s crest of 1818, which correctly displayed the staff of Asklepios. Acceptance of the caduceus began with its being chosen as the symbol of the U.S. Army hospital stewards in 1857. It was then adopted by the U.S. Public Health Service in 1871, and by the U.S. Army Medical Corps in 1902.
The first association of the caduceus and medicine was seen on 3rd century A.D. oculists’ stamps. These pocket-sized tablets were actually solid sticks that contained medicines used to treat eye diseases, which were common in 3rd century A.D. Roman civilization. These stamps displayed pictures of caducei on their top and bottom surfaces. They were also inscribed with the name of a disease, the medicine used to treat it, and the name of the medical practitioner. Pieces of these solid sticks were broken and mixed with oil, honey, butter, or egg until a suitable liquid medicine was formed. In effect, these oculists’ stamps served as both a prescription pad and the medicine used to treat it.
The caduceus later represented Asklepios, the legendary Greek god of medicine. Asklepios was the son of Apollo and the nymph Coronis. When his mother died, Asklepios was placed under the care of the famous wise centaur and half brother of Zeus, Chiron. Under the tutelage of Chiron, Asklepios became a great physician. With Epiome, he had four children, two of whom, Machaon and Podaleirios, are physicians mentioned in the famous Greek epic, The Iliad. His two daughters were famous in their own right: Hygieia, goddess of health, represented prevention of disease; and Panaceia, goddess of healing, represented treatment of disease. Their names are related to the etymology of the two well-known medical terms hygiene and panacea.
Today, remnants of more than 300 temples honoring Asklepios exist throughout Greece and Rome. These healing temples of Asklepios date back to the 6th century B.C., where they were erected in various cities of Greece. Each temple consisted of many buildings and areas, a main temple containing a statue of the god Asklepios, other areas displaying statues of members of his family, and an incubation site, the abaton, where the actual cure of the sick took place.
Asklepios died as a result of a fall, having been struck by a thunderbolt from Zeus, who was angry and fearful that Asklepios’ skill might make all men immortal. Although Asklepios was killed by Zeus, his memory and ideals live in the hearts and actions of modern-day medical practitioners, who are often referred to as Aesculapians.