Medicine, or "the art of healing", originated in ancient civilizations. Most of the modern symbols associated with her also originate from those times. In particular, they were influenced by the culture of ancient Greece. What do medical signs and symbols mean? You will find a photo and the meaning of the most common emblems later in the article.
Main Emblems
Throughout history, medicine has accumulated a huge number of emblems. They are used by us as identification marks and can be placed on the documentation, offices or overalls of various he althcare organizations.
The most famous medical symbols and signs are:
- red cross and red crescent;
- hygiea's vessel;
- Staff of Asclepius;
- "star of life";
- caduceus.
The most common are emblems depicting a snake - the ancient Greek symbol of wisdom, healing and rebirth. It was considered an attribute of the famous physician Hippocrates, the gods Hermes, Asclepius and Hygiea. A snake can be depicted with a staff, a bowl, a mirror, candles, Apollo's tripod and other items.
There are other medical signs. For example, an enema, a vessel for collecting urine, or urinaria (as a symbol of the doctor's guardianship over the patient), a rooster, a drop of blood, an egg, a burning torch, a lamp.
Staff of Asclepius
The Staff of Asclepius is a medical sign born from myth. According to the latter, the staff of the ancient Greek god-healer was once wrapped around a snake. He killed her, but another appeared in his path. In her mouth she held the grass with which she resurrected the murdered "friend".
So Asclepius found a means to bring the dead back to life, and the snake wrapped around a staff became the first international emblem of the ancient art of healing. The symbol itself appeared around the 8th century BC.
The symbol of the ambulance in many countries is the "star of life". It is a white staff of Asclepius against a blue six-pointed star.
Vessel of Hygiea
Gygea is the goddess of he alth and the daughter of the legendary Asclepius. Starting from 800 BC, the bowl was its symbol. Later, images of a bowl began to appear, which the snake wraps around. Sometimes the goddess herself was depicted, who held a goblet in her hands and fed a snake from it.
Around the 18th century, the vessel of Hygiea became the medical sign of pharmacy, first in Paris, and then in the world. The National Society of Pharmacists of the USA and Canada has an award in the form of the Hygiea Cup, it is awarded to the leaders of the region.
Caduceus
Kerikion, or caduceus - another emblem from Ancient Greece. This medical sign is very similar to the staff of Asclepius, leading to their confusion. But unlike the staff, the caduceus belongs to Hermes.
The symbol is a wand with wings at the top, which is wrapped around by two whole snakes. Hermes was a very versatile deity. He patronized merchants, travelers, magic and alchemy. His caduceus was considered the rod of heralds and had the ability to reconcile people. In ancient times, he had nothing to do with medicine.
Later it became associated with secret knowledge, knowledge of the universe and the dualism of the universe. The sign gained particular popularity in the 15th-16th centuries, when alchemists made it their symbol. It migrated to medicine only in the 19th century, personifying life and death as two sides of a single whole.
Red Cross and Crescent
The emblem of the red cross originated in 1863 as a symbol of aid to soldiers wounded in battle. It appeared thanks to the Swiss Henri Dunant, who witnessed the Battle of Solferino. Henri saw that due to the lack of distinguishing marks on the orderlies and doctors, helping the victims on the battlefield was very difficult. The result is a red cross on a white background.
During the Russian-Turkish war, the Ottoman Empire abandoned the cross, associating it with a religious sign. Instead, they used a red crescent on a white background. In 1929year in Geneva, the crescent was recognized as the second emblem of aid. It is more common in Muslim countries.
Both signs are symbols of the International Red Cross and Crescent Movement, which is committed to helping all those in need, regardless of their differences, and to promote world peace.
