Things you don't learn in medical school: Caduceus

J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2015 Apr;7(Suppl 1):S49-50. doi: 10.4103/0975-7406.155794.

Abstract

It is a known fact that every symbol has a unique meaning. In that case what does this unique symbol, Caduceus, which is used, in various forms and modifications, by many medical organizations mean? Is it just a custom or does it have a deeper meaning? The story of this medical symbol started way back in 1400 BC, travelled through time, has undergone many changes, misconceptions and has finally reached the present state. Here we have tried to give you a glimpse of how it has evolved over time, what it actually means, what have we interpreted and what can we learn from it.

Keywords: Caduceus; medical symbol; rod of asclepius.

Publication types

  • Review