What does the two snakes mean in the medical symbol?
caduceus
That symbol of two snakes wrapped around a pole, known as a caduceus, actually belonged to Hermes, the Ancient Greek messenger God in charge of shepherds, travel and commerce. Hermes liked the resulting staff so much he took it as his own. Hence the caduceus became a symbol of Hermes; of commerce and travel.
Why do pharmacies have a green cross?
The green cross as symbol of the Conseil National de l’Ordre des Pharmaciens was registered in 1984. Although owners of pharmacies are not obliged to use this symbol, the registering of the green cross meant that no-one else working in a similar profession could use it.
Why does the caduceus represent medicine?
The Caduceus is a symbol of Hermes or Mercury in Greek and Roman mythology. Caduceus symbol is identified with thieves, merchants, and messengers, and Mercury is said to be a patron of thieves and outlaws, not a desirable protector of physicians.
What is the medical symbol called in the US Army?
For the medical symbol often mistakenly referred to as a caduceus, see Rod of Asclepius. The US Army Medical Corps Branch Plaque. The adoption, in 1902, of the caduceus for US Army medical officer uniforms popularized the erroneous use of the symbol throughout the medical field in the United States.
Why is the snakes bite the medical profession’s symbol?
Snakes bites are generally bad news, and so the animal might seem ill-fitting as the symbol of the medical profession, but the ancient emblem actually has a quite a story behind it. There are actually two versions of the symbol. The winged version is known as a caduceus, andthe stick is actually a staff that was carried by the Olympian god Hermes.
What kind of snake is wrapped around a medical staff?
It has been claimed that the snake wrapped around the staff was a species of rat snake, Elaphe longissima, the Aesculapian snake. Some commentators have interpreted the symbol as a direct representation of traditional treatment of dracunculiasis, the Guinea worm disease.
Are snakes still used in Chinese medicine?
In ancient Egypt, snake designs were used in hieroglyphs. In China, dried bodies of about 30 species of snakes are still using as Chinese medicines.