Snake and Staff?

[BPHgravity]

Does anyone know the origin of the staff with a snake wrapped around it that is used as a medical symbol on ambulances and hospitals?

 

Most of the time there is a blue cross behind it as well?

 

:confused:

[Glider]

It is called the Caduceus and it is the staff of Hermes (in Greek mythology) or Apollo (in Roman mythology) . For detailed infomation, see here

[atinymonkey]

Well, I was in Kos recently and because it was raining I decided to take the tours that showed the birthplace of Hippocrates and the founding of the first hospitals. The local guide had a slighty different view as to who the serpent and staff was used, which was "we use the snake and stick because we have snakes on the island". I guess that they also had sticks and thats all they had on the island. Presumably Hippocrates used the old fashioned method of hittin people with a stick with a snake wrapped about it.

 

I highly recommed the tour. They also told me that the Knights of St John built the templar Castles to "defend against pirates", and not as I previously thought to defend against the Turks that were trying to kill them all.

 

You live and you learn.

[Guest jason]

http://www.thehemperor.net/nontesters/thehemperor/

 

some say it is the tree in the garden of eden with the snake offering drugs as the keys to the secrets.

[badchad]

http://drblayney.com/Asclepius.html#worm

 

That was the explanation I was taught in school. Basically, in ancient time the Dracunculus medinensis, which is some type of worm (a parasite I believe), invaded the body. To get it out, a physician would cut into the patients skin, and remove the worm by wrapping it around a stick.

[canadianpoet]

The Sumerians had a very similar iconic emblem with two entwined snakes and a staff. Some say it signifies the double helix of DNA, but it bears a startling resemblance to our modern day Caduceus!

 

The Sumerians are a civilisation older than the Greeks and whom originated in modern day Iraq. They are quite a few civilisations from Mesopotamia and Mesoamerica that use the snake as a depiction of healing or medicines in some form.

 

It would be very interesting to find its true origin!

[DreamLord]

It is called the Caduceus and it is the staff of Hermes (in Greek mythology) or Apollo (in Roman mythology) . For detailed infomation, see here

 

Hermes was known as Mercury in Roman mythology. Apollo had the same name for both. Hermes and Mercury used the Caduceus.