| Caduceus jewelry is a popular gift for graduating | | | | staff with two entwined serpents and very often |
| nurses, physicians and veterinary students but do | | | | a pair of wings. Originally the staff was carried by |
| you know how this symbol came to be used by | | | | Iris who was the messenger of Hera. Only in later |
| medical personnel? The Rod of Asclepius is a | | | | myths was it borne by Hermes. It may be the |
| more appropriate symbol for medicine and | | | | basis for the astrological symbol for Mercury, who |
| medical organisations but the caduceus is also | | | | was the Roman equivalent of the Greek Hermes. |
| used, although, unlike the Rod, it has no medical | | | | It is often used as a symbol for medicine |
| significance. In fact, just the opposite as the | | | | especially in the United States. Why is there |
| symbol is associated with Hermes, god of the | | | | confusion between the Rod of Asclepius, an |
| market place and travel, of the cunning of thieves | | | | appropriate symbol for medicine and the caduceus |
| and liars, who was a patron of commerce and | | | | which is inappropriate, associated as it is with |
| generally associated with mischief as a deified | | | | Hermes, patron of thieves and tricksters and |
| trickster. He was also the conductor of souls to | | | | conductor of the dead to the underworld? |
| the underworld so the use of his symbol for | | | | The Use of the Caduceus by Medical Personnel |
| medicine is particularly inappropriate. | | | | It appears that it was used mistakenly instead of |
| The Rod of Asclepius | | | | the Rod of Asclepius in the nineteenth century. It |
| The more correct symbol is the Rod of Asclepius | | | | was first used as a medicine symbol around 1856 |
| which is a walking stick or staff entwined by a | | | | in the US on the uniforms of army hospital |
| serpent. Asclepius is the god of medicine in the | | | | workers and was worn by medical officers from |
| Greek mythology and his daughters were Hygieia, | | | | about 1902. The Surgeon General noticed the |
| Aceso, Aglea, Meditrina, Iaso, and Panacea who | | | | error a few years later but did not change it. The |
| symbolise medicine, cleanliness, and healing. | | | | name is thought to come from a Periodical of |
| Panacea means literally 'all healing' and is a familiar | | | | military medicine called La Caducée and it |
| word in modern English. Asclepius was the son of | | | | was used by the Navy Hospital Corps and the |
| Apollo and Coronis and was raised by a centaur | | | | Army Medical Department after the first world |
| called Chiron after his mother was killed for | | | | war. Although the American Medical Association |
| unfaithfulness. Chiron taught Asclepius the art of | | | | used the caduceus for a time it was replaced by |
| medicine. | | | | more correct symbol for medicine, the Rod of |
| In Ancient Greece, around 300BC the cult of | | | | Asclepius, in 1912. |
| Asclepius was popular and his healing temples | | | | Modern Use of the Caduceus in Jewelry |
| were called Asclepieia. Snakes were used in the | | | | Nowadays caduceus jewelry is popular especially |
| healing rituals and non poisonous snakes freely | | | | among nurses and it is available as a charm for |
| crawled around the temples. The Oath of | | | | bracelets or a pendant or necklace. A medical |
| Hippocrates originally began with the words 'I | | | | caduceus is a popular gift for graduating students |
| swear by Apollo the Physician and by Asclepius | | | | whether nurses, physicians or veterinary |
| and by Hygieia and Panacea and by all the gods..." | | | | personnel. One theory of why the caduceus, |
| The Caduceus | | | | rather than the Rod of Asclepius, is more popular |
| The caduceus is usually depicted as a herald's | | | | is because it simply looks better! |