What is the meaning of the medical symbol with a snake?

Answer 1

This is a good question. There are two symbols which are often used in the medical profession to refer to medicine. These are the Caduceus (the winged staff of Hermes entwined with two snakes) and the Rod of Asclepius (A rod with one snake coiled around it in the process of shedding its skin). The latter is by far the more appropriate symbol, and is far more ancient in usage than the Caduceus which has been erroniously used as a symbol for medicine for some time due to confusion between the two symbols in the middle ages.

There are several theories about the snake on the rod. Several of which are based in symbolism or mythology. However the most likely theory has to do with a parasitic nematode, the Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis). The method of removal of the guinea worm is long an painful, and involves coiling it around a twig or stick to pul it slowly from the flesh which it is embedded.

Answer 2

The staff with two snakes is the Caduceus of Mercury or Hermes. It was initially associated with the practice of alchemy. Medicine and chemistry are derivatives of alchemy and the symbol was adopted.

More interestingly the one snake staff (The Staff of Ashepius) is an actual medical instrument. In the past, and for that matter in the present, people can become infected with very long worms that grow under their skin. The doctor, witch doctor or medicine man would open the skin near the worm's head and wrap it around a stick like fishing line onto a reel to pull it out slowly and in one piece. Having broken dead worm bits decomposing under your skin falls into the "Not a good idea" category, so this option was well received.