The snake staff in Roman mythology
One interpretation of the medical symbol of the rod and snake is that the magic rod could be a bundle of wands or a wand made from the laurel tree - a tree symbolizing glory, once used by the Romans to make helmets for soldiers returning from victory. On the rod, there could be one or two snakes wrapped around it, considered the symbol of the Greek god Hermes, and later the Roman god Mercure - the god of health and commerce.
Originally, it was the wand of Hermes, the god of alchemy. Received from the hands of Apollo in exchange for the lyre that Hermes had made, it was a golden rod surrounded by two snakes. These two animals symbolized to alchemists two opposing elements that must be united into one, as sulfur unites with mercury, the fixed with the volatile, moisture with dryness, heat with cold. Together they formed the composite gold of the wand, which was thus seen as an expression of the fundamental duality that governed alchemical thought but was destined to dissolve in the unity of the philosopher's stone.
This interpretation opens the way for a view of the snake staff as a symbol of balance by synthesizing opposing forces, maternal forces, both biological and moral, that harm the health or honor of a living being. In the same sense, for the Romans, the snake staff symbolized spiritual balance and correct behavior: the staff represented power, the two snakes symbolized caution and, conversely, agility. The snake staff also united four natural elements with their symbolic meanings: the paper corresponded to earth, the wings to air, the pair of snakes to fire and water. Not only did the snake's iron crawling attribute evoke the rising and falling movements of waves and fire, assimilating them to "water" and "fire", but the very nature of this animal, the nature that both burned with snake venom and seemed to be a fluid, made it the source of life as well as death. However, the interpretation of the snake wrapped around the staff of the god Esculape is more widely known.
The god Esculape and the origin of the snake symbol
According to ancient Greek mythology, the god Esculape was the father of medicine. According to legend, Esculape was the son of Apollo (the Sun god) and Coronis, the daughter of the king of Thebes. Esculape's life was filled with magic from birth. His mother died while pregnant, and he was taken out of her womb by his father, a pioneering act for the idea of surgery in medicine. He was then raised by Chiron, the famous wise centaur. Thanks to his education in the natural environment and his curious nature, Esculape soon discovered plants that had the ability to heal and even bring the dead back to life.
An important story in the legend of Esculape is the appearance of a snake in his life. While on the way to visit a friend, Esculape encountered a snake crawling up his staff. Curious, he used his staff to hit it to death. However, soon after, another snake crawled up, holding a medicinal herb in its mouth, and saved the dead snake. Realizing the significance of the event, Esculape began to study herbs to cure people. From then on, the snake became a symbol of rebirth, healing power, and wisdom in medicine. However, Esculape's outstanding talent made Zeus worried that he might make humans immortal, so he ordered him to be punished with a lightning bolt. However, thanks to the intervention of Apollo, Esculape was raised to the sky and became a constellation, honored as the patron god of physicians.
Not only Esculape, but his family also played an important role in the development of medical symbols. Esculape later married Lampetie and had five children, each of whom had a special meaning in the medical field. His two daughters, Hygieia and Panacea, became symbols of hygiene and medicine respectively. Hygieia, who raised the snake goddess to cure diseases, was considered the goddess of health and hygiene. Her name was used to name the discipline of Hygiene (Hygieiane). Meanwhile, Panacea - the goddess who had the power to cure all diseases - became the symbol of medicine, with the word "Panacea" being used today to mean a cure-all.
Esculape's two sons, Machaon and Podalire, were also talented physicians, who are mentioned in Homer's Iliad. Machaon was renowned for his healing abilities, while Podalire was an excellent surgeon. Podalire's descendant was Hippocrates, who would later be known as the father of medicine and laid the foundation for modern medicine. It was through the Esculape family that the core values of medicine - from curing illness, maintaining health, to researching and developing drugs - were passed down and maintained through the generations.
Symbolic meaning in the medical industry
The symbol of the snake wrapped around the staff of Esculape is not just a simple image but also has a profound meaning in the medical field. The snake, with its ability to shed its skin, symbolizes rebirth and renewal. At the same time, it also represents wisdom, prudence and the ability to heal. The staff that the snake wraps around, originally a laurel tree, a symbol of victory and glory, also contributes to emphasizing the noble role of the physician in protecting human health.
In the pharmaceutical industry, this symbol is transformed into the image of a snake wrapped around a tall stemmed cup - the Hygeia Cup. The cup represents the medicine cup of the goddess Hygieia, containing a liquid extracted from herbs, meaning healing and health. The Hygeia Cup was first officially recognized in 1796, when the Paris Pharmacological Society issued a bronze coin bearing this symbol. In 1964, the American Pharmacists Association officially recognized the Hygeia Cup as the symbol of the pharmaceutical industry.
The logo of the Vietnamese Ministry of Health combines traditional and international elements to represent the important role of the health sector in public health care, as the image of a snake wrapped around a stick has become a common symbol for the medical profession worldwide. In addition to the image of a snake and a stick, the logo of the Vietnamese Ministry of Health is also designed with white as the main color. White has long been considered the typical color of the medical sector, symbolizing purity, clarity and humanitarian spirit in health care. This is also the color associated with the image of doctors and nurses, who wear white blouses, always dedicated to the health of the people and the community.
Another unique feature of the logo is the appearance of four arcs radiating from the center outwards, surrounding the two sides of the logo. These arcs symbolize the unity and close connection between the four levels of the Vietnamese health sector, including: Central (Ministry of Health), province (city), district (county) and commune (ward). This design not only emphasizes the systematic nature and synchronous coordination of the health sector but also demonstrates the spirit of solidarity and continuity in carrying out the task of protecting and improving people's health at all levels.
(Posted on the special edition of Labor Weekend Spring At Ty)
