Rod of Asclepius

(redirected from Staff of Asclepius)

The ‘correct’ symbol of medicine, which is a knarled wooden staff with a single encircling snake held in the accompanying image by Asclepius who stands frowning centre-stage. A widely used—and incorrect—alternative symbol for medicine is the Caduceus a magic wand with two snakes, held by the Roman god Mercury, also known as Hermes in Greek mythology, to the far left in the image

References in periodicals archive ?

The green staff is the staff of Asclepius (according to Greek mythology, the first healer, the son of Apollo, the sun god); and green was a color associated with the Medical Corps during the last half of the 19th century.

The US Army Medical Department regiment

The World Health Organization and most professional health organisations use, as the traditional symbol of healing and medicine, the staff of Asclepius, which is depicted as a single serpent encircling a staff.

Restoring dignity: community arts in leprosy control

The representation of the staff of the Messenger is not the staff of Asclepius, the god of medicine.