The sight of a snake coiling its way up a stick might not immediately conjure up the idea of good health, yet the staff-scaling serpent has stood as an emblem of medicine for thousands of years. Seen on ambulances, hospitals, and paramedic uniforms the world over, this insignia continues to represent the art of healing – although many institutions have unwittingly adopted the wrong symbol.

The Alchemist And The Snakes

Depending on where you are, you’ll see either a single snake climbing a stick or a pair of serpents winding their way up a winged rod. The latter is currently used by the US Public Health Service and was once displayed by over three-quarters of the country’s hospitals, despite having no historical connection to medicine.

Known as a caduceus, this double-snaked logo represents the staff carried by the ancient Greek god Hermes, or Mercury as he was later called by the Romans. A divine messenger who provided protection to thieves and liars, Hermes had no ability to heal the sick and was not associated with medicine in ancient times.

However, as the popularity of alchemy grew during the Middle Ages, philosophers and magicians became increasingly interested in the Hermetica Texts, which laid out the foundations of the alchemical art and were attributed to Hermes Trismegistus - a mythical character who represented both Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth. During the Renaissance, the caduceus became the symbol of alchemy and was frequently used to denote concoctions that contained mercury.

As alchemy is seen as the precursor of chemistry, pharmacology, and, ultimately, medicine, the caduceus later became associated with healing. In the nineteenth century, the US Army Medical Corps officially adopted the emblem, which later became the symbol of the Public Health Service – although in reality, the US government had got its wires (or snakes) crossed, as it should have picked a different (but similar) image.

The Snake Of Health

Unlike the US healthcare system, the majority of institutions around the globe - including the World Health Organization - display a solitary snake and staff. Used to denote healing for at least 2,400 years, this symbol represents the Rod of Asclepius, the ancient Greek demigod of medicine.

According to mythology, Asclepius received his healing powers as a reward for curing a gravely ill snake. Sanctuaries were later established throughout Greece in the divinity’s honor, many of which hosted healing rituals that involved the use of snakes - although it’s highly unlikely these actually worked.

Despite the questionable efficacy of these serpentine surgeries, legend has it that Asclepius was so successful at saving lives that Hades - the god of the underworld - had to have him assassinated in order to ensure a continued supply of freshly departed souls. In most artistic depictions, Asclepius is shown as a bearded man leaning on a staff with a snake coiled around it, and it’s this rod that can be seen on most medical institutions' logos worldwide.

However, while the correct symbol for medicine features just one snake, the US is far from alone in mistakenly adopting the caduceus. Other nations currently using this alchemical impostor include India, Türkiye, Malaysia, and Ghana.

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