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Medical symbols: facts, errors and confusion

Medical symbols: facts, errors and confusion. Gaby Frank, MD, FACP Associate Chief of Hospital Medicine Denver Health & Hospital Authority Assistant Professor of Medicine University of Colorado, School of Medicine. When did Hermes defeat Asclepius?. Moreover, with the help of which army?.

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Medical symbols: facts, errors and confusion

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  1. Medical symbols:facts, errors and confusion Gaby Frank, MD, FACP Associate Chief of Hospital Medicine Denver Health & Hospital Authority Assistant Professor of Medicine University of Colorado, School of Medicine

  2. When did Hermes defeat Asclepius? Moreover, with the help of which army?

  3. Objectives • To review differences between Hermes and Asclepius • To review the definition of caduceus • To review the historical use of the caduceus in Medicine • To review the use of the caduceus by the US army • To review current medicine state in regards to caduceus use • To discuss appropriateness of Rod of Asclepius vs. Caduceus as a symbol of Medicine

  4. Hermes- Greek Mercury- Roman God of Commerce and Merchants Messenger of the Gods Magic wand between 2 snakes. Multiple Hermes

  5. Pre- Homeric Hermes God of the Boundary-stone God of roads and paths God of the “agora” or marketplace God of oratory God of a fertility cult Psycho-pomp God of luck

  6. Archaic Hermes 700-500 BC. Homeric Hymns Could “put people to sleep” Messenger of the Gods God of athletic contests A trickster, a thief and a liar Apollo gave him the caduceus Peter Paul Rubens. “Mercury and Argus”, saving Io from Hera.

  7. Traditional Hermes Becomes Hermes-Mercury God of gymnasiums and athletes Birth of at least 9 infants Hermes “transplanted” Zeus muscles Many attributes Invented speech!

  8. Hermes-Thoth Greco-Egyptian. 5th century BC. Gods ran to Egypt in fear of Typhon Scribe, heart and tongue of Ra. Great ethics Invented enemas, revived Horus Creator of ALL arts and science. Wisest of all gods.

  9. Traditional Hermes Thoth • Wise, knowledgeable wise • Inventive: arts and science • Grave judge of right and truth • Death: officiated souls judgment • Scribe of the Gods • Source of laws • Ibis • Wise, clever wise • Inventive: crafts and objects • Liar, Trickster • Death: psycho-pomp • Messenger of the Gods • Sexually promiscuous • Caduceus

  10. Hermes Trismegistus Three-times Great 2nd-1st century B.C. Pseudo-Hermes trismegistus Written by roman philosophers, Between 3rd – 4th century Alchemy created by Hermes3

  11. Asclepius- GreekAesculapius - Roman Demi-God of Medicine? The “ blameless physician”? A Hero? Together with his sons God of Medicine?

  12. Asclepius deification • Mycenaean inscriptions 1500 BC • Homer circa 900 BC, NO GOD but a HERO • Hesiod 700 BC DEMI-GOD • Pindar 520-442 BC DEMI GOD • Progressive deification 500 BC-100 AD • Hellenistic Greece 420 BC. GOD • Pausianas140 AD Roman.

  13. Asclepius birth and death As told by HESIOD. 700 BC As told by PINDAR. 520-440BC • Apollo and Coronis were lovers. • Rightful Apollo killed Coronis • Asclepius accepted gold • Post –Homeric Greece • Asclepius was destroyed because he was greedy • Son of a GOD, and a mortal • Apollo’s jealousy killed Coronis. • Asclepius born by C-section • Zeus killed Asclepius. • Asclepius was destroyed because of his benevolence to mankind

  14. What’s in the name? SebastianoRiccica, 1720. “Dream with Asclepius”. Academy Gallery, Venice, Italy • Askles: a tyrant of Epidaurus • Epios: Greek for gentleness, kindness, calmness • “kindness to all those suffering”. • “ To cut open” “ The mole-Hero”. • Etymology :pre-Greek

  15. Asclepius’ family Asclepius and his family meet the sick. Unknown author. National Museum of Art. Athens. • Father: Apollo • Mother: Coronis • Wife: Epione, “epios” • Machaon: “Surgery” • Podalirius: “ Internal Medicine” • Hygeia: goddess of health. • Panacea: “ soothing simples” or remedies

  16. Hermes and Asclepius’ family • Daughters: Hygieia, Panacea, Meditrina, Aceso, Iaso, Aglaea • Sons: Machaon, Podalirius, Telesphoros, • Killed by Zeus with a Thunderbolt • Post-mortem God • Constellation Ophiuchus

  17. JOHN WILLIAM WATERHOUSE. “ A SICK CHILD BROUGHT INTO THE TEMPLE OF ASCLEPIUS. 1877 SANCTUARY OF ASCLEPIUS, ALBANIA. BUILT III BC

  18. Asclepiads Asclepius Asclepiads- Physicians • Hippocrates > the Asclepiad (Plato’s) > the leader of the Asclepiads ( Aristotle’s) • Medicine: responsibility to care for the sick, even if placed the physician at danger.Despite social status, financial gain or personal risk • Altruistic art • Lover of all people • Accessible to supplicants • Man-God • Killed for his compassion to the condemned • Dared to care for the outcast, regardless of the consequences

  19. Hermes and Aesculapius Relationship • Hermes was Aesculapius Uncle • Saved him from his death (some say) • Hermes thought to have married Hygeia (among many others) Hermes, a merchant, Aesculapius, Meditrine, Hygeia, Panacea. Engraved from an original in the then Museum Pio Clemens in Rome  Galerie Mythologique, Recueil de Monuments by Aubin Louis Millin, Paris 1811

  20. One more comparison had been made…. Christianity Paganism

  21. Definition of caduceus • Caduceus: Latin word • From Greek word kerykeion • Herald’s wand • Non- Medical dictionaries: still Herald’s wand • ..” figure whose basic structure consists of two serpents encircling a wand or rod”

  22. The Caduceus in medicine Caduceus of Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Butt’s caduceus Caius’ emblem Harvey’s caduceus Caduceus of the Royal College of Physicians, London. Caius

  23. Sixteenth and seventeenth century Similar coat of arms as 2 other Padua’s law students (1602) Sir William Butts Prudent in judgment John Caius President of the Royal College of Medicine 1555-1571. “Authority should be exercised with gentleness and mercy”. Snakes> prudence. Replica given to ACP in 1954. WilliamHarvey

  24. CADUCEUS AS A PRINTER’S MARK Multiple American printer’s marks derived from Churchill’s. Medicine, Literis. Unbreakable bond unites Johann Froben’s printer’s mark. 1516. medical and non- medical books John Churchill’s printer's mark. 1837. Medical books

  25. Caduceus in military • Sign for PEACE • Peloponnesian War 431-404 B.C • Caduceator: non-combatant w/ message of peace. • Peace in Munster 1648 • peace of Nystadt 1721 • Ambassadors 18th century: coat of arms.

  26. Rod of Asclepius- Military Medical Corps France German WWI medical uniform South Africa UK Australia Army Reserve Indian

  27. Medical Department of US Army Coat of Arms- 12/10/1817-12/02/1818 • Never had an official sanction • 20 stars, 13 strips (before Illinois became the 21st state) • Stamped on an 1882 book “ Antiseptic Surgery”

  28. US NAVY SURGEON’S UNIFORM1826-1832 • Staff of Aesculapius embroidered on the collar • “ of disproportionate size and probably the ugliest device ever worn”- Roddis, L.H. A short history of nautical medicine. 1941.

  29. US Military- Hospital steward- Civil war1851-1887 US Army’s General Order no. 31. 06/12/1851, 10/31/1851

  30. US Army medical officer distinction 1872 MD- Medical Department 1840 MS- Medical Staff 1891 Shield. 13 stars + 13 strips. Rod of Asclepius

  31. Hospital corps-1887 RED CROSS on overcoats and blouses WHITE GENEVA CROSS on helmets, forage caps and side buttons

  32. US army Hospital Corps 1902 OFFICERS. Cross of the “Knights of St John”- Hospitallers ENLISTED Modified Maltese cross

  33. 1902. Captain Frederick P. Reynolds, Assistant Surgeon US army Letter to the Surgeon General, March 20th, 1902 …”I wish particularly to call attention to the desirability of changing the insignia from the cross to the caduceus and to the adoption of Maroon as the color of the Corps in lieu if the Green now used. The Caduceus was for years the insignia of our Corps and it is inalienably associated with things medical. It is in use by several of the foreign powers, notably the English”……… Capt. Frederick P. Reynolds George Miller Sternberg

  34. NO …….”the present insignia of the Medical Department (the Maltese cross) was adopeted after careful consideration, and is now generally recognized as indicating this corps….”

  35. 1902. Captain Frederick P. Reynolds, Assistant Surgeon US army Letter to the Surgeon General, June 14th, 1902 …”I wish particularly to call attention to the desirability of changing the insignia from the cross to the caduceus and to the adoption of Maroon as the color of the Corps in lieu if the Green now used. The Caduceus was for years the insignia of our Corps and it is inalienably associated with things medical. It is in use by several of the foreign powers, notably the English”……… Capt. Frederick P. Reynolds William H Forwood

  36. YES ........”The Acting Surgeon General concurs in the opinion that a change in thepresent insignia as well as the green color trimming for the medical Corps of the Army is desirable. I am favorably impressed with the suggestions made by Capt Reynolds and Major Border…..” July 28th, 1902

  37. Use of the rod of Asclepius instead of caduceus ….”I have the honor to submit herewith a drawing suggesting a crest or emblem for the use of the medical Department……… The cock of Aesculapius is the same as on the old emblem…….” November 26th, 1902 Capt. Reynolds • English medical corps: 1898 • Prussian/ German : 1868 • French medical corps: 1798

  38. Interesting letters Dr. Gerhard 1909. JAMA • …” In the United States Army”..” the device of a surgeon is mercury’s wand……Carefully examining the literature on the subject of Mercury we learn many facts arguing against the use of this…emblem in the healing art. We shall see that I belongs strictly to commerce and trade” • “Whoever recommended its [caduceus]use as a medical emblem in this country has either been conducted by mercury, his titular deity, to join the souls of the dead in the world below, or is keeping unusually quiet” • …”A badge of neutrality appropriate to the medical officer as a noncombatant..”Colonel Hoff 1928 • “ has really no medical bearing whatever, and what significance it has is indeed not at all complimentary…. Whatever its real symbolism may be… the bearing is certainly not medical, and our use if the caduceus is therefore, not correct”. Lieutenant Colonel C.C. McCulloch 1917.

  39. 20th century • 1924: La PresseMedicale • 1924: AMA • Caduceus: doctor’s insignia for cars. • Rod of Asclepius: button/pin clasp • 1925: AMA dropped use of caduceus • 1902: US Army medical corps • 1910: AMA Rod of Asclepius as insignia • 1917: WWI Caduceus “exposed” • 1918: RAF caduceus in logo • Later: Korea, Paraguay, Iran and Luxemburg (1962 > Asclepius)

  40. La pressemedicale, 1924 “During the last war some of our confreres with an interest in antiquity have commented on the use of the caduceus of mercury used by the medical men in certain allied armies….”

  41. Caduceus in medical organizations? AAMC AMA • Founded in 1847 • JAMA 1883 • Founded in 1876 • Caduceus insignia in 1987-88 • Changed logo recently

  42. Boston Medical and surgical journal “…advisable for physicians to adopt the caduceus, which has the approval of the AMA, as an emblem for the doctor’s car? For a number of years past it has been customary in this vicinity to display the green cross on white field, and before a change is made it would be well to be certain that the cross is unsatisfactory. The caduceus is a winged rod entwined by two serpents, and is the badge of Mercury, the god of commerce, and incidentally of thieves. If a change is desired, why not adopt the staff of the god of Medicine, Asclepius…” Dr. Henry Bowditch, Boston 1923

  43. Caduceus Appearance in the Dictionary Chance of this difference NOT related to the introduction of caduceus as the emblem for the US Army Medical Corps in 1902 is 1:1,000

  44. Where do we stand now (late 20th century 1970-80s) and HERE (USA)?n=242

  45. SummaryCaduceus’s association to Medicine due to Confusion of traditional Hermes with other Hermes 2. Lack of recognizing difference between 2 serpentine objects Although, many lay people may think this is appropriate, it seems unlikely that most medical people, if they understood the underlying meaning of this object, would find it suitable. Walter J. Friedlander.

  46. Questions?? Claude Lorrain. Asclepius reviving Hippolytus

  47. bibliography The Golden Wand of Medicine. A history of the caduceus Symbol in Medicine. W.J. Friedlander. 1992 Asklepios: Ancient Hero of medical Caring. J.E Bailey. Annals of Internal Medicine 124 (2) 1996 The Symbol of Modern Medicine: Why one snake is more than two. RA Wilcox; EM Whitham. Annals of Internal Medicine 138 (8). 2003 Asclepius. The perfect discourse of Hermes trismegistus. Clement Salaman. 2010 The way of Hermes Sandro Botticelli: Aphrodite in La Primavera. 1492

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