What is the symbol of the medical profession?

Question

I know it is **not** the caduceus.

Answer 1

Definition of Medical symbol

Medical symbol: A staff or rod with a snake curled around it is the staff (the rod) of Aesculapius (also called Asklepios), the ancient mythical god of medicine. His Greek name was Asklepios and his Roman name was Aesculapius. In reality, Asklepios may have once lived and been renowned for his gentle, humane remedies and his humane treatment of the mentally ill. His followers established temples called asclepions, temples of Asklepios, temples of healing. The greatest asklepion was in a grove of trees south of Corinth, Greece where the sick had to spend a night while the proper remedies were revealed during a dream to the priests of the temple and the cured had to make a suitable sacrifice (usually a rooster) to the god.

According to mythology, Asculapius had a number of children including Hygieia, the goddess of health (from whose name comes the word "hygiene") and Panaceia, the goddess of healing (from whose name comes por word "panacea" for a universal remedy).

Today, the staff of Aesculapius is a commonly used symbol of medicine. It is the symbol of the American Medical Association (AMA) and many other medical societies.

Answer 2

The AMA (American Medical Association) actually gets it right by using the rod of Asclepius as their symbol. Asclepius, the ancient god of healing, was sympolized by a serpent and thus his "rod" has a single snake coiled around it.

The other common symbol of a staff with wings and two serpents is acutally a combination of the rod of Ascelpius and the caduceus or symbol of Hermes (aka Mercury). It seems rather bizarre that a caduceus be used as a symbol of healing since Hermes' other job, besides being a messanger for other gods, was to guide the dead into Hades.

Although I'm not that fond of snakes, I think the rod of Asclepius is a more apt symbol for the honorable profession of medicine.

Answer 3

It IS the caduceus, also known as the staff of Asclepius. For origins, history, and meanings, see source below.

Answer 4

It's called The Oath of Hippocraties:

caduceus- (kdy´sēs) , wing-topped staff, with two snakes winding about it, carried by Hermes, given to him (according to one legend) by Apollo. The symbol of two intertwined snakes appeared early in Babylonia and is related to other serpent symbols of fertility, wisdom, and healing, and of sun gods. This staff of Hermes was carried by Greek heralds and ambassadors and became a Roman symbol for truce, neutrality, and noncombatant status. By regulation, it has since 1902 been the insignia of the medical branch of the U.S. army. The caduceus is much used as a symbol of commerce, postal service, and ambassadorial positions and since the 16th cent. has largely replaced the one-snake symbol of Asclepius as a symbol of medicine.

Answer 5

The symbol for medical doctors is the staff of Aesculapius. It is a staff with one snake coiled around it.

I've heard that it relates to the method of curing Dracunculiasis. Its a worm that grows under your skin, and you remove it by slowl coiling it around a stick.

here's a definition from medterms.com

Staff of Aesculapius: A rod or stick with the snake curled around it is the staff (the rod) of Aesculapius (also called Asklepios), the ancient god of medicine. His Greek name was Asklepios and his Roman name Aesculapius.

In reality, Asklepios may have been a real person who was renowned for his gentle, humane remedies and his humane treatment of the mentally ill. His followers established temples called asclepions, temples of Asklepios, temples of healing. The greatest asklepion was in a grove of trees south of Corinth, Greece where the sick had to spend a night while the proper remedies were revealed during a dream to the priests of the temple and the cured had to make a suitable sacrifice (usually a rooster) to the god.

According to mythology, Asculapius had a number of children including Hygieia, the goddess of health (from whose name comes the word "hygiene") and Panaceia, the goddess of healing (from whose name comes the word "panacea" for a universal remedy).

Today, the staff of Aesculapius is a commonly used symbol of medicine. It is the symbol of the American Medical Association (AMA) and many other medical societies.

Answer 6

Please take note of NUMBER 3 definition for the word......

ca·du·ce·us (kə-dū'sē-əs, -shəs, -dyū'-)
n., pl. -ce·i (-sē-ī').

1. A herald's wand or staff, especially in ancient times.
2. Greek Mythology. A winged staff with two serpents twined around it, carried by Hermes.
3. An insignia modeled on Hermes's staff and used as the symbol of the medical profession.

Answer 7

For MD it is one serpent wound about a staff.
The caduceus, which is 2 serpents wound about a winged staff is for DDS (dentists)

Answer 8

There are several 'medical professions'...for nurses, it's the Nightingale Lamp.

Answer 9

why do you say it isn't the caduceus?

Answer 10

i think its a septre with a snake crwaing up it