Why does the medical symbol have a snake and a staff on it? It is the Rod of Asclepius, an ancient symbol of medicine.
If you have the misfortune to require an ambulance in the US, you will notice that it a) costs an awful lot, and b) has a six pointed blue star with a white staff and snake in the middle of it as an emblem. That six pointed star has meaning and the staff and snake in the middle are the Rod of Asclepius. Asclepius was the Greek god of medicine, which should explain how his staff ended up on the medical symbol that is used in many different countries.
In the stories of the Greek gods, Asclepius is the son of Apollo and Coronis. Apollo was the god of the Sun, light, music, and many other things. He was also the son of Zeus, the king of the gods, which made Asclepius the grandson of Zeus. Asclepius was taught a lot about healing and medicine by his father Apollo and by a wise centaur called Chiron. At some point, Asclepius was kind to a snake and the snake licked his ears clean and taught him secret knowledge about healing and resurrection. This is why his staff has a snake curling up it. Asclepius is said to have used his knowledge to heal people and to raise people from the dead. This angered Hades, the god of the underworld, who appealed to Zeus. Zeus was afraid that Asclepius would teach humans the art of resurrection, so he killed him and immortalized him as a star.
The rod and the snake became a symbol of Asclepius and they were engraved on his temples. There are several theories as to why his symbol is a snake and a staff. It could be because in the legend the snake taught him how to save people. It could be because the snake shedding its skin is a symbol of rebirth and renewal. It could be because snake venom is dangerous, which shows both sides of the healer: they sometimes have to use dangerous drugs to help people. Because he was the god of medicine and healing, people started to go to his temples to be healed. The association between his symbol and that of medicine was very simple to make. It is thought that Hippocrates (the father of medicine and the person the Hippocratic oath is named after) began his career in one of Asclepius’s temples. ⚕The cult of Asclepius began to spread and the symbol spread with it. Sanctuaries that used his name and the symbol appeared in Greece and then other countries as well.
The symbol of Asclepius’s rod and snake was taken up around the world and it is used by over 100 organizations and countries. It is displayed in different forms, but they always have the rod and the snake. The world health organization has it prominently displayed in front of the UN’s globe symbol. It is also displayed on the Star of Life, which is on ambulances in many countries around the world. The star has six points and each point stands for a different part of the care of patients:
1. Detection: The first rescuers on the scene, usually untrained civilians or those involved in the incident, observe the scene, understand the problem, identify the dangers to themselves and the others, and take appropriate measures to ensure their safety on the scene (environmental, electricity, chemicals, radiation, etc.).
2. Reporting: The call for professional help is made and dispatch is connected with the victims, providing emergency medical dispatch.
3. Response: The first rescuers provide first aid and immediate care to the extent of their capabilities.
4. On scene care: The EMS personnel arrive and provide immediate care to the extent of their capabilities on-scene.
5. Care in transit: The EMS personnel proceed to transfer the patient to a hospital via an ambulance or helicopter for specialized care. They provide medical care during the transportation.
6. Transfer to definitive care: Appropriate specialized care is provided at the hospital.
There is also another symbol that looks very similar to the rod of Asclepius, but it isn’t. It has two snakes on a rod and wings at the top. It is actually called the caduceus and was the staff carried by Hermes, the messenger of the gods. He is also known as the protector of thieves, merchants, and travellers. His staff and snakes is a symbol of commerce, but it is sometimes used by medical institutions because of a mistake in 1902. When the United States Army Medical Corps was creating its insignia, a captain in the service insisted the the caduceus was the Rod of Asclepius. Nobody disagreed with him and the wrong symbol was put on the uniforms. Many other organizations copied it, or made the mistake on their own. If you see a staff with two snakes and wings, it is the symbol of commerce. If you see a staff with one snake, it is the symbol of medicine and care giving. And this is what I learned today.
Photo by Antonio Batinić: https://www.pexels.com/photo/ambulances-on-a-parking-lot-5364345/
Sources
https://www.livescience.com/33104-why-is-the-medical-symbol-a-snake-on-a-stick.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_of_Asclepius
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asclepius
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4439707/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_of_Life
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4190767/
https://blog.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/the-symbols-of-medicine/