Medicine emblem. What does the bowl with the snake mean? Symbols of medicine - a reflection of the healing methods of ancient peoples

Everyone knows that the symbol of medicine is a bowl with a snake, and people jokingly call it “mother-in-law eats ice cream.” But not everyone knows what this emblem means. What other symbols are there that denote medicine, where did they come from and what is their true meaning? This is exactly what we will talk about in our article.

Where did medical symbols come from?

At different times, different cultures adopted their own symbols and emblems of medicine, which reflected the understanding and perception of death and life, indicated the image of the healer and methods of treatment. Speaking about various medical symbols, it is worth remembering the famous gods - patrons of healing, ancient methods of treatment and other features.

The most basic medicine is snakes. It was their image in a variety of forms that was used to indicate healing. The history of the use of this sign goes back to the ancient civilizations of the East, Greece and Egypt. For example, it is the snake that wraps itself around the body of Isis, the Egyptian patroness of healing. The snake is also accompanied by an inscription on the pillar of Sesostris I in Karnak, which says: “I give life, longevity and health... to the king of lower and upper Egypt.” Interestingly, the modern symbol of medicine also could not do without a snake image. Here the reptile encircles the bowl, and each part of this emblem deserves special attention.

As society developed, with an increase in the level of knowledge about nature and the environment, various phenomena reflecting them changed and were rethought. Today, the interpretation of the symbols of healing that have come down to us is quite diverse. There are about fifty different conventional images meaning medicine, but we will consider only the most common ones.

General and specific emblems of healing

For a comprehensive study of the issue, along with many scientific methods used in the study of medical symbolism, the historical method is also relevant.

The most valuable sources for studying the issue are numismatics and bonistics. The first studies coins, tokens, medals and orders, and the second examines paper banknotes from a historical, economic and artistic perspective. It is on coins and banknotes of different eras that one can find the largest number of medical symbols and emblems of healing, and in some cases this is generally the only source of confirmation of their physical existence.

Specialists who study the emblems and symbols of medicine tend to use a special classification, according to which all existing designations can be divided into private and general. Private ones include:

a drop of blood is a sign of a surgical profile;
image of a lily of the valley;
klistir (enema);
a hand feeling the pulse is the emblem of therapists;
image of a Florentine baby;
pentagrams of surgical instruments, such as a scalpel;
urinary;
mortars with or without pestle - such emblems are used by pharmacists or medical societies;
military medical signs (emblems).

Common medical symbols are much more famous. These include:

snake;
staff of Asclepius (Aesculapius) - a snake wrapped around a stick;
snake around the bowl;
two snakes entwining the rod of Hermes (Mercury);
egg;
a snake entwining the tripod of Apollo;
lamp;
ank Impotech;
a snake coiled around a mirror;
rooster;
one or two snakes twisted around a candle or lamp;
snake entwining the Delphic navel, omphalos;
burning candle or torch;
heart in palms and others.

Thus, we can conclude that general symbols mean healing in general, and private ones are designed to divide medicine into areas.

Why the snake is a symbol of medicine

At the dawn of civilization, in the just emerging primitive society, when the first totems reflected man’s helplessness before nature and the outside world, the snake was one of the main symbols. With the advent of religious cult, snakes were attributed the dual nature of good and evil. On the one hand, they personified deceit and cunning, and on the other, they were immortality.

It’s interesting, but in ancient beliefs the symbol of medicine was a quiet, harmless snake. They were called “Aesculapian snakes.” These reptiles were honorary residents of cult healing centers in Rome and Greece. The snakes moved freely around the house and treated those who were sick - they licked their wounds. The Romans and Greeks loved their snakes very much and kept them in their homes, baths and bathhouses.

Many nations have a good start, bringing prosperity to the home, health and happiness to those living in it. Also, according to legend, snakes heal wounds and can teach the wisdom of healing.

In ancient Eastern mythology, the snake was also associated with people’s health and their treatment, and in African countries it personified healing. Perhaps this is the only case in which it is possible to trace a chain of associations. The fact is that in Africa, only sorcerers were involved in treating people, and they were also poisonous snake charmers. And so a chain of associations appeared: sorcerer - snakes - treatment. Then, however, the sorcerers disappeared somewhere, but snakes and healing remained tightly connected.

In European countries, unlike Africa, the snake was associated not with sorcerers, but with wisdom and knowledge in general. This is a symbol of eternal youth - rejuvenation in this case is symbolized by annual molting, skin change. This ability of the snake to literally “lose its temper” is interestingly reflected in Egyptian legends. At midnight, the great sun god Ra, together with his entourage, leaves the luminous boat and enters the body of a huge serpent. In the morning, they all emerge from his interior as children, again sit down in the sacred boat and continue their journey across the sky. This is exactly how, according to the ancient Egyptians, day gives way to night.

Similar myths of rejuvenation and immortality exist in African tales, Sumerian legends and Greek myths. As an ancient symbol of medicine, the snake was depicted without any additions or attributes. And only much later they began to attach a staff, tripod, mirror or the famous cup to it.

What does the cup symbolize?

Since the symbol of medicine is a bowl with a snake, the next thing we will talk about will be that. The most common interpretation of the fact that the bowl became a symbol of something good and saving, that is, medicine, is associated with the perception of fresh water in the arid regions of the globe. Since it rarely rained in these places, water became a gift from heaven. It was possible to preserve the gift of the heavenly gods using hands folded in the shape of a bowl, or stones with indentations, clay or metal utensils. Since entire villages were dying out from drought, prayers for rain began to be accompanied by requests for health and the preservation of life. On ancient Egyptian steles and frescoes, the sick person, turning to the gods with a request for recovery, holds exactly the cup in his hands.

Treatment with water became traditional for the countries of the Ancient East and India. Alchemists always used water or dew drops to obtain medicines. For healing, special cups with spells and symbols engraved on them were used. For example, to treat fear (“the disease of fear”), Muslims used a special “cup of fear” - a copper bowl specially made in Mecca and decorated with sayings from the Holy Koran.

Folk tales have preserved expressions associated with ritual cups to this day: “the cup of suffering”, “let the house become a full cup”, “drink the cup to the dregs”, “the cup of patience” and others. These sayings contain the dual nature of the image - a double-bottomed cup, a creation of heaven and earth. If a person drinks from the cup of earthly creation, his insides turn to earthly passions. Having drunk from the heavenly cup, a person directs his thoughts to heaven, to lofty ideals, and gets rid of earthly sins and passions. It is not without reason that one of them is the communion cup - the cup of deliverance from sins.

Staff

When considering the symbols of medicine, one cannot help but remember the staff - a gnarled pole around which a snake is usually coiled. This item represents a traveling stick, signifying the journey of healers. The staff not only helps along the way, but also increases the level of confidence. Indian medical treatises strongly recommended that the doctor carry a staff with him, since patients subconsciously trust more experienced, middle-aged people who have a connection with the earth.

It was this item that became the prototype of the doctor’s cane, especially popular in England in the Middle Ages. Sometimes, as a medical symbol, the staff was depicted with branches and foliage. This symbolized the beginning of a new life, rejuvenation.

In some emblems there is not a staff, but a rod of Mercury, or Hermes. This god was considered a mediator between the kingdoms of the dead and the living, between people and gods. According to legend, Hermes received his rod as a gift from Apollo. This was a reward for the fact that he invented such a musical instrument as the lyre and played it masterfully. The Greeks called this magic cane the kirekiyon, and the Romans called it the caduceus.

Pentagram and tripod

Symbols of medicine such as the pentagram and tripod of Apollo are also quite popular.

The first of them is a five-pointed star drawn with a single line. This sign has its roots in Mesopotamia and Egypt. It is believed that the five planets known at that time were connected in this way: Mars, Venus, Saturn, Mercury and Jupiter. This symbol was most often used as a talisman and amulet against spirits and creatures that cause misfortune and illness. A little later, during the widespread spread of Christianity, the pentagram became a sign of heretics and was replaced by the image of a hand with outstretched fingers.

The second sign is the tripod of Apollo. According to legend, at the foot of Mount Parnassus, Apollo killed Python, an evil monster guarding the valley. The Delphic Temple, a sanctuary of Apollo, was built on the site of the battle. One of the walls of the temple was a rock, from the crevice of which a heady aroma flowed. Nearby, on a golden tripod, sat Pythia, a priestess who communicated with the gods and thus learned their will. And since Apollo was the patron of medicine and healing, the tripod from his sanctuary became a special symbol that unites the three principles of medicine:

own observation;
analysis of other people's observations;
conclusion by analogy.

Staff of Asclepius

So, what does the medicine symbol mean, depicting a stick with a snake crawling up it? To begin with, it is worth noting that this sign has been most recognizable since about the 8th century BC. The history of this sign goes back to Greek myths. According to legend, Asclepius (the Romans called him Aesculapius) learned his craft, the art of healing, from a centaur named Chiron. He successfully applied the knowledge he gained in practice and became a skilled healer. He treated people so well that Zeus was afraid that thanks to his efforts, people would become immortal. So he killed Asclepius with a lightning strike.

There is a legend according to which one day Asclepius was invited to the court to resurrect his dead son. On the way to the palace, a snake suddenly climbed onto the stick on which Asclepius leaned while walking. The healer got scared and killed her. As soon as he took the life of the reptile, another snake appeared out of nowhere, carrying grass in its mouth. With the help of a bunch of grass, the snake resurrected its friend, and they crawled away together. Asclepius correctly understood the sign of the gods, he found the grass that the snake held in the mouth, and was able to resurrect the son of King Minos.

Since then, the image of the staff of Asclepius began to be used as a symbol of healing, and the doctor himself began to be revered as the god of healing.

Bowl with snake

However, a much more common symbol of medicine is a snake wrapped around a bowl. The first images of this symbol date back to 600-800. B.C. It is noteworthy that at first the parts of the image existed separately and were attributes of Hygeia, the daughter of Asclepius - she held a snake in one hand and a cup in the other. And only much later the images were combined into a single whole.

The true meaning of this sign is highly controversial. Some people interpret it one way, and others another. Most often, the cup is associated with a container for storing a well-known healing substance, and the snake symbolizes wisdom. However, there is another interpretation. According to him, the emblem reminds the doctor of the need to be wise, and to draw wisdom from the cup of world knowledge, the human mind, which embraces the whole world.

The funniest interpretation of the symbol came from medical students. In their opinion, the symbol means that the doctor is “cunning as a snake and loves to drink.”

Today, such an emblem is most often used to designate pharmaceutical activities.

Caduceus

The meaning of the medicine symbol, depicting a rod with wings around which two snakes curl, is also not very clear.

The fact is that initially the caduceus was a symbol of secrecy, a sign that protected commercial or political correspondence. And only much later it became a symbol of medicine.

For ease of perception, it is worth dividing the emblem into several parts:

the rod symbolizes the Tree of Life, the connection between heaven and earth;
a double spiral formed by the interweaving of serpentine bodies is a symbol of cosmic energy, the unity of opposites, the duality of phenomena;
The reptiles themselves are the active forces of the earthly and otherworldly worlds.

Most likely, the transformation of the symbol from a commercial (political) to a medical one occurred due to the presence of snakes, which provide both a medicinal drug and poison.

Red cross and crescent

If we consider the symbols of medicine, popular all over the world, we should not forget about the red cross and crescent. Oddly enough, such a symbol does not mean “something medical” at all, as is commonly believed in our country. It is designed to protect doctors, wounded people, hospitals and clinics during military conflicts. Therefore, it is unacceptable to use such a symbol on pharmacies, car first aid kits, gowns and caps of medical staff and in other places. As planned, it should have an “emergency” meaning and be used only in extreme cases.

Similar meanings:

Red Cross;
red crescent (in Islamic countries);
sun and red lion (in Iran);
red star of David (in Israel).

At the present time, the Red Cross Movement is busy developing new symbols, devoid of national and religious characteristics.

Star of Life

The symbol of medicine, the photo of which is presented below, is not very popular in Russia. This is the “Star of Life” - a symbol of medicine, born in the USA. Each of the rays of the snowflake symbolizes a specific function of emergency medical care:

detection;
notice;
response;
assistance at the scene of the incident;
assistance with transportation;
transportation for further assistance.

Conclusion

When studying medicine, it is impossible not to know or not understand the symbols that mean healing. Interest in the past, as we know, gives rise to a bright future. The more clearly we can imagine the content and meaning of the cultural baton passed on to us by past generations, the more valuable and significant the present becomes for us. After all, our ancestors put a special meaning into each symbol, designed to convey its value to future generations.

We all know and have seen many times the medical emblem - a bowl with a snake entwined around it. The image of this symbol adorns boxes with medicines, signs of hospitals, pharmacies, clinics and other medical institutions. I remember Petrosyan once joked about this emblem: the glass is a symbol of free alcohol in medicine, and the snake is because “they don’t give out a ballot.” Well, jokes aside, somehow we didn’t really think about what exactly this bowl with a snake means? So, there is no unambiguous interpretation of the medical emblem. Some scientists believe that this symbol indicates the healing properties of snake venom used in medicine, and the bowl is a vessel where this poison is stored. According to others, the snake entwined in the bowl symbolizes immortality, knowledge, wisdom and good beginnings. In addition, there are suggestions that the roots of the medical emblem go back to ancient Roman and Greek mythologies. The ancient Roman God of healing Aesculapius (among the ancient Greeks he was also Asclepius) was depicted with a rod entwined with a snake. According to legend, snakes know the healing properties of various medicinal plants, and in order to gain this knowledge they need to turn into a snake, and then back into a human. And the God of healing, Aesculapius, succeeded. Using snake secretions, he treated patients with medicinal herbs. According to this legend, on the medical emblem it is not some abstract snake that wraps around the cup, but a concrete species of it - the Aesculapian snake (Aesculapian snake). By the way, the Aesculapian snake is not poisonous.

It turns out that in Russia, a medical symbol with a snake enveloping a glass was called the “Hippocratic cup.” And it began to be considered the official emblem in the 18th century, but this has not been documented in any way. Military medicine also received a similar emblem, only there are not one, but two snakes wrapped around the bowl.

The image of a bowl with a snake, which adorns the signs of pharmacies and other medical institutions, is familiar from childhood. Adults answer the question “What does this mean?” They like to answer that “this is how snake venom is collected, from which medicine is then made.” The version is widespread, although somewhat naive. You might think that all medicines are made only from poison. In fact, the entire pharmaceutical industry around the world uses only a few hundred grams of this substance per year. With the same success, the symbol of medicine could be, for example, a bee, or deer antlers, or something even more exotic.

Despite the ubiquity of this symbol, called the "Hippocratic Cup", its exact origin and interpretation are still unknown. The author of the version about the poison is the famous researcher Zabludovsky. In his opinion, this image appeared at the turn of our era. According to other researchers, in particular Academician Pavlovsky, this image began to be used as a symbol of medicine only in the 16th century with the light hand of the famous Paracelsus.
However, both the cup and the snake, albeit separately, were used as various symbols back in 800 - 600. BC e., including as attributes of the ancient Greek goddesses of health Hygeia (from whose name the word “hygiene” came) and Saluta.
The snake has always symbolized wisdom, knowledge, longevity and eternal youth - the annual change of skin symbolized rejuvenation.
However, there is an opposite opinion that the basis of “snake symbolism” in medicine is a person’s fear of the snake, the desire to appease the formidable “goddess of death” or to scare off illness using the formidable appearance of the snake.
The use of the bowl as a symbol of healing is associated with the healing properties of water and the tradition of preparing medicinal potions in ritual bowls.
However, even in much more distant times, a bowl with a snake was used in the symbolism of Ancient Egypt. The ancient Egyptian deity Knef or Kematef, a self-created creator who formed the world from chaos, was depicted in the form of a snake. The bowl in this image symbolized a vessel containing primordial matter - the physical basis of everything. Knef in the form of a snake bends over the bowl with the First Mother and spiritualizes it with his breath, awakening it to life. Agree, it’s very beautiful and symbolic, although it’s a little far from medicine. By the way, it is known that Paracelsus, who first proposed this combination as a medical symbol, was an alchemist and mystic well acquainted with ancient esoteric knowledge. He certainly knew the exact meaning of this image.
During the time of Peter I, a bowl with a snake or two snakes was introduced as a sign of medical service in the army. In 1924, the Hippocratic Cup was approved as a symbol of military medicine by the Revolutionary Military Council and still remains the emblem of military medical units in Russia. And the most common use of this symbol is in pharmaceutical activities. It was decorated with the Hippocratic cup and badges issued in the USSR to graduates of medical universities.
One of the modern historians of medicine who turned to the analysis of the symbolism of a cup entwined with a snake, Borodulin, said this: “We are inclined to consider this emblem as a reminder to the doctor of the need to be wise, and to draw wisdom from the cup of knowledge of nature.”
By the way, the official symbol of medicine is not the Hippocratic cup, but a snake entwining the staff of the ancient Greek god of healing, Asclepius. This image was adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) of the United Nations (UN) at its First World Assembly in Geneva in 1948.
In conclusion to the history of the Hippocratic Cup, it remains to add that this symbol is popularly interpreted as “The mother-in-law eats ice cream.”

By the way…
The Red Cross is not a symbol of medicine
Another common symbol for “everything medical” is the red cross. Surprisingly, in most cases this emblem is used illegally.

History of the Red Cross
The red cross became a symbol in the 19th century. During the Franco-Austrian War, the Swiss Henry Dunant was so impressed by what he saw on the battlefields that he wrote an article asking whether it was possible to create a charitable organization to help the wounded during armed conflicts. Dunant's publication attracted the attention of the Geneva Benevolent Society, which created a committee of 5 people to put these ideas into practice. Later this committee received the name of the International Committee of the Red Cross - ICRC.
The first meeting of the ICRC took place in 1873 in Switzerland, and in tribute to the country, which historically maintained neutrality towards the warring parties and organized the first Geneva Conference, the national flag of Switzerland was adopted as the basis for the ICRC emblem, but with the colors replaced, that is, the red cross on a white background. The four parts of this cross symbolize the four virtues: moderation, prudence, justice and courage.
During the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878), the Ottoman Empire allowed the activities of the Red Cross on its territory, however, obliging the ICRC to change its symbolism to the Red Crescent.
Thus, this emblem was originally created to represent the medical services of the armed forces and provide protection for the sick and wounded, as a symbol of impartial humanitarian assistance provided to all who suffer. It is designed to protect doctors, hospitals, the wounded and sick during military conflicts. This is a completely special symbolism, an “emergency” image to which the eye cannot be “accustomed.”
According to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, the emblem of the Red Cross is assigned to humanitarian and medical transports, buildings, convoys and missions in order to protect them from attacks by conflicting parties. Only the medical service of the army of a state party to the Geneva Conventions has the right to use it. These emblems are depicted on the roofs and sides of buildings, hoods and doors of military vehicles, tents and other objects where wounded and sick soldiers, military doctors, and injured civilians are located.
In peacetime, the emblem is used as a distinctive sign by national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, as well as by ambulances and ambulance stations, provided that first aid stations provide treatment exclusively free of charge.
This emblem has another feature that distinguishes it from ordinary trademarks or brands. You cannot purchase a license to use it even for the most noble purposes. This is a symbol of impartial medical care to all sufferers, regardless of nationality, race and religion.
By joining the Geneva Conventions, the state undertakes an obligation not only to promote the development of the national Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, but also to protect its symbols at the legislative level. According to the Red Cross Society, incorrect use of this symbol can lead to damage and discrediting of the existing image, confusion leading to serious consequences. Therefore, the authorities of many countries, on the recommendation of the ICRC, have adopted laws restricting the use of the official ICRC emblem. The official emblem of this organization should be used exclusively as a symbol of salvation during hostilities and emergencies, so that the emblem does not become familiar or become something commonplace.

AmbleeWe medical (Greek) emblem insert, convex decoration) - images symbolizing medicine in general, belonging to the medical profession, various directions and areas of medicine, individual medical specialties.

Over the course of centuries of development, medicine has had many emblems, some of them have not lost their meaning to this day, others have become a thing of the past. At the XIII International Congress on the History of Science (Moscow, 1971), a classification of medical emblems was proposed, according to which they are divided into two groups:

General medical emblems;

Private medical emblems.

Common medical logos symbolize medicine in general, private medical logos designate its individual branches or directions.

Common medical logos

Common medical emblems may include various images of a snake, incl. in combination with a staff, a cup, a candle, etc., images of a burning torch, lamp, heart in the palm. The most common emblems depicting a snake.

In primitive society, when totemism and animalism took shape, reflecting the helplessness of primitive man in front of the outside world, the snake was one of the main totemic animals. With the emergence of the cult of the snake, a dual role was attributed to it: evil and good. On the one hand, the snake was a symbol of cunning and deceit, on the other - immortality, wisdom and knowledge.

In the ancient world, medicine was symbolized not by a poisonous snake, but by a harmless snake. Records of ancient medical authors indicate that snakes crawled around the house during “sacred sleep”, often licking sore spots - eyes, wounds. The Romans kept them at baths and swimming pools. It is believed that the Aesculapian snake came to some European countries thanks to the Roman conquerors.

There are different explanations for the fact that many peoples have long associated snakes with healing the sick.

It is assumed that the snake symbol was first used as an emblem of healing around the 2nd millennium BC in Ancient Babylon, where animal worship was maintained during the era of slavery.

On the one hand, the snake was a symbol of cunning and deceit, on the other - immortality, wisdom and knowledge. As an emblem of medicine, the snake was originally depicted without any attributes.

Later, images of snakes appeared in combination with various objects. So, from about the 8th century. BC one of the symbols of medicine is staff of the god of healing Asclepius (Aesculapius) - a gnarled stick around which a snake is coiled, head up.

One of the ancient Greek myths tells that Asclepius was invited to the palace of Minos, the king of Crete, to resurrect his dead son. On the way, he saw a snake on his staff and killed it, but another snake appeared with healing herbs in its mouth and resurrected the dead one. Subsequently, Asclepius treated sick people with this herb.

This legend explains why in most cases Asclepius is depicted standing, wearing a long cloak, holding a staff entwined with a snake. His figure became the first international emblem of medicine.

Currently, a vertically positioned staff entwined with a snake, depicted against the backdrop of a globe bordered by laurel branches, is emblem of the World Health Organization (WHO) at the United Nations.

This emblem was adopted at the First World Health Assembly in Geneva (1948) and consists of two emblems: the UN emblem (a globe framed by laurel branches) and the emblem of medicine (a staff entwined with a snake). The symbolism of this emblem reflects the dominance of medicine over the healing, life-protecting forces of nature.

The Staff of Asclepius should not be confused with caduceus (“a sign of the authority of the messenger”) - an attribute of the Greek god of trade Hermes (among the Romans Mercury).

It is a symbol of balanced and virtuous behavior, representing a staff with wings on top, entwined with two snakes. In Roman mythology, Mercury used a rod to reconcile two fighting snakes.

A rod entwined with two snakes combines several fundamental symbolic elements: the central rod symbolizes the Tree of Life (meaning the connection between heaven and earth): the double spiral formed by snakes is a symbol of cosmic energy, duality, as well as the unity of opposites; the snakes themselves are the fruitful forces of the earthly and otherworldly worlds. In the ancient world, this emblem was not medical. Only from the 15th–16th centuries. The caduceus became a symbol of medicine. Since the 19th century The caduceus is used as an official medical emblem in a number of countries in America (for example, the USA), Africa and Asia.

The association with medicine was due to the presence of snakes in the caduceus - as in the staff of Aesculapius. The famous psychologist Carl Jung considered the caduceus to be the emblem of homeopathic medicine - the snake signifies both poison and medicinal potion.

The caduceus began to be used as a sign protecting the secrecy of commercial or political correspondence. Currently it is an emblem of medicine or commerce.

First images bowls with snake date back to 800–600. BC The snake and the cup were depicted separately and were attributes mainly of the goddess of health Hygieia, who was usually depicted with a snake in one hand and a cup in the other.

Images amphora or bowl entwined with a snake , appeared much later.

There was no exact and legalized symbol of medicine in the form of a snake coiled around a bowl or depicted next to it, either in ancient times or much later.

According to Academician E.N. Pavlovsky, a bowl with a snake as a symbol of medicine appeared only in the 16th century thanks to the famous physician Paracelsus, who first proposed a similar combination instead of the caduceus, traditional at that time. In the ancient world, the emblem of medicine was not a poisonous snake, but a harmless snake.

It is possible that this emblem represents the healing properties of snake venom, so widely used in medicine, and means the vessel where snake venom was stored. The snake symbolizes wisdom, knowledge, immortality and, in general, all good principles.

One of the first Russian medical historians to analyze the content of the symbol of a bowl entwined with a snake was F. R. Borodulin. He put it this way: “We are inclined to regard this emblem as a reminder to the physician of the need to be wise, and to draw wisdom from the cup of knowledge of nature.” That is, in our time, the cup in the medical emblem is defined by him as the cup of the human mind, which embraces the whole world.

In ancient mythology, the gods drank the drink of immortality from a cup. Therefore, the cup in the medical emblem can be interpreted as a symbol of the healing powers of nature in general.

In Russia, this emblem, called the “Hippocratic Cup,” became the main medical symbol in the 18th century.

As a distinction of medical service in the army, a bowl with a snake was introduced back under Peter 1. A snake entwined around the leg of the bowl and bowing its head over the bowl itself, as a symbol of military medicine, was approved in the USSR in 1924. This sign is still preserved in Russia as the official emblem of the military medical personnel of all branches of the military.

The most common is the use of an emblem in the form of a bowl with a snake for pharmaceutical activities.

Known emblem of medicine in the form of Apollo's tripod entwined with a snake.

In Europe (France, Belgium, Greece, etc.) from the 18th century. there was medical emblem in the form of a mirror entwined with a snake . The mirror is a classic symbol of purity and caution - qualities necessary for a doctor, but since the mirror is also a symbol of luxury, in order to avoid confusion, it began to be depicted as a symbol of caution together with a snake - the most cautious of animals.

Along with the emblems of healing, which depicted a snake, others have existed since ancient times.

The ancient Egyptian god of healing Imhotep (who comes in peace) was depicted with cross-shaped loop in hands - the so-called ankh of Imhotep. This symbol meant well-being, life and health. Later it was known as the “tau cross” (the image of the Greek letter “tau” was used as an amulet).

There are medical emblems in the form burning torch or lamp (later candles).

Fire, according to the teachings of Heraclitus of Ephesus (6th–5th centuries BC), was considered in medicine as a last resort, all-healing remedy, which was turned to in case of failure of medical and surgical treatment. By the end of the Middle Ages, the ancient torch in images was replaced by a candle due to the fact that the candle was a religious attribute. The image of a candle was accompanied by the saying: “By shining for others, I burn,” “By serving others, I destroy myself,” etc.

Currently, a burning torch is the emblem of health education.

Modern man associates a snake, rather, with something unpleasant. However, the snake is a generally accepted symbol of medicine throughout the world, and has been since ancient times.

For many peoples, the snake symbolizes good beginnings, ensuring the well-being of the home and the health of those living there, and also has the magical power to heal wounds and teach people healing skills.

It is characteristic that in the ancient world medicine was symbolized not by a poisonous snake, but by a harmless snake. It was snakes - Aesculapian snakes - that lived in the centers of the cult of the god of healing Aesculapius in Greece and Rome. Records of ancient medical authors indicate that snakes crawled around the house during “sacred sleep”, often licking sore spots - eyes, wounds. The Romans were very fond of these snakes and kept them in baths and baths. It is believed that the Aesculapian snake came to some European countries thanks to the Roman conquerors.

There are different explanations for the fact that many peoples have long associated snakes with healing the sick.

Some researchers believe that illness, and especially death, have always been mysterious and incomprehensible phenomena for people. The causes of illness and death were also unclear. The snake, too, has always remained a mysterious and incomprehensible creature. Perhaps, these researchers believe, people associate strange phenomena with strange creatures. Perhaps, although the explanation is perhaps not very convincing. Moreover, the snake has always been a symbol of wisdom, learning, i.e. alternatives to ignorance.

In the mythology of the countries of the Ancient East, snakes often appeared, usually together with deities who were associated with the health of people and their healing. Among African peoples, the snake was also often associated with healing. This is obviously explained by the fact that in Africa sorcerers were engaged in healing; they, as a rule, were also snake charmers. The symbol of the sorcerer was a snake. This is how it turned out: the snake is a sorcerer - healing magic. Then for some reason the sorcerer fell out of this chain, and what remained was the snake and healing magic.

In Europe, the snake not only symbolized a healer, as in Africa - a sorcerer, it symbolized wisdom and knowledge in general. Perhaps doctors, as representatives of a special profession, stood out earlier than others from among “scientific people” and, perhaps, were even the first scientists on Earth. Therefore, it was the snake that remained their professional emblem.

And yet, it is difficult to say with certainty why this happened: we have almost no facts, except for one fact - the symbol of medicine - the snake.

It is assumed that the snake symbol was first used as an emblem of healing around the 2nd millennium BC in Ancient Babylon, where animal worship was maintained during the era of slavery.

As an emblem of medicine, the snake was originally depicted without any attributes. Later, images of snakes appeared in combination with various objects. The emblem of medicine is known in the form of the tripod of Apollo entwined with a snake. In Europe (France, Belgium, Greece, etc.) from the 18th century. There was a medical emblem in the form of a mirror entwined with a snake. The mirror was a symbol of purity and caution - qualities needed by a doctor.

However, the most famous were three emblems of medicine: the staff of Asclepius, the caduceus and the cup with the snake.

Staff of Asclepius

The Staff of Asclepius - a gnarled stick around which a snake is coiled, head up - has been one of the most recognizable symbols of medicine since around the 8th century. BC e.

Greek myths tell that Asclepius (among the Romans - Aesculapius, ascending to the Phoenician Eshmun) - the son of the god of light, truth and prophecies Apollo - learned his healing skills from the centaur Chiron and was known as a most skillful doctor who knew how to resurrect the dead. However, Zeus, fearing that thanks to the art of Asclepius people would become immortal, killed him with a lightning strike. Asclepius began to be revered as the god of healing.

One of the ancient Greek myths tells that Asclepius was invited to the palace of Minos, the king of Crete, to resurrect his dead son. The doctor was walking, leaning on his staff, and suddenly a snake entwined the staff. Frightened, Asclepius killed the snake. But as soon as he did this, a second snake appeared, carrying some kind of grass in its mouth. This grass resurrected killed. Apparently, Asclepius was already destined to become a god, so he, possessing inhuman insight, immediately understood everything, found the grass that the snake brought, collected it and, arriving in Crete, resurrected itson of King Minos. This legend explains why in most cases Asclepius is depicted standing, wearing a longcloak, holding a staff entwined with a snake. His figure became the first international emblem of medicine.

Currently, a vertical staff entwined with a snake, depicted against a background of a globe bordered by laurel branches, is the emblem of the World Health Organization (WHO) of the United Nations. This emblem was adopted at the First World Health Assembly in 1948 and consists essentially of two emblems: the UN emblem (a globe framed by laurel branches) and the emblem of medicine (a staff entwined with a snake). The symbolism of this emblem reflects the dominance of medicine over the healing, life-protecting forces of nature (snake).

Caduceus (rod of Mercury)

The Greek word “caduceus” (“sign of the messenger’s authority”) was the name given to the magic rod of the messenger of the Greek gods Hermes (for the Romans, Mercury), entwined with two snakes, usually crowned with a pair of wings.

The snakes entwined around the caduceus symbolized the interaction of opposing forces. In Roman mythology, Mercury used a rod to reconcile two fighting snakes - the reason why he became in Ancient Rome a symbol of the balanced and virtuous behavior.

The caduceus began to be used as a sign protecting the secrecy of commercial or political correspondence. Nowadays it is an emblem of medicine or commerce, but the caduceus was once an intriguingly varied symbolic figure.

The rod, entwined with two snakes, combines several fundamental symbolic elements: the central rod symbolizes the Tree of Life (meaning the connection between heaven and earth); the double spiral formed by snakes is a symbol of cosmic energy, duality, as well as the unity of opposites; the snakes themselves are the fruitful forces of the earthly and otherworldly worlds.

Over the past 4,000 years, this symbol has been associated with divine powers (and sometimes with messengers of the gods) in Phenicia and Babylon, in Egypt and India (where the "caduceus" became the designation of kundalini - the energy of awakening). In alchemy, the caduceus is a symbol of the unity of opposites (mercury and sulfur). It can symbolize balance, and in Western art it can be an attribute of the allegorical figure of the World.

The association with medicine was due to the presence of snakes in the “caduceus” - as in the staff of Aesculapius. The famous psychologist Carl Jung considered the “caduceus” to be the emblem of homeopathic medicine - the snake signifies both poison and medicinal potion.

Bowl with snake

This is the most common medical emblem in our country.

The first images of a bowl with a snake date back to 800-600. BC e. At the same time, at first the snake and the bowl appeared separately and were attributes of the daughter of Aesculapius, the goddess of health Tigea, who was usually depicted with a snake in one hand and a bowl in the other.

There was no exact and legalized symbol of medicine in the form of an image of a snake coiled around a bowl or depicted next to it, either in ancient times or much later. According to Academician E.N. Pavlovsky, this appeared only in the 16th century, thanks to the famous physician Paracelsus, who first proposed a similar combination instead of the traditional caduceus at that time.

The true meaning of this emblem remains controversial. It is possible that it personifies the healing properties of snake venom, so widely used in medicine, and means court where snake venom was kept. The snake symbolizes wisdom, knowledge, immortality and, in general, all good principles.

One of the first Russian medical historians to analyze the content of the symbol of a bowl entwined with a snake was F.R. Borodulin. He put it this way: “We are inclined to regard this emblem as a reminder to the physician of the need to be wise, and to draw wisdom from the cup of knowledge of nature.” That is, in our time, the cup in the medical emblem is represented as the cup of the human mind, which embraces the whole world.

In Russia, this emblem, called the "Hippocratic Cup", became a major medical symbol in the 18th century, although no official government documents have been found to support this.

As a distinctive feature of medical service in the army, a bowl with a snake (two snakes) was introduced under Peter I. A snake entwined around the leg of the bowl and bowing its head over the bowl itself, as a symbol of military medicine, was approved in our country by the Revolutionary Military Council in 1924 (1922?) . This emblem is still preserved in Russia as the official emblem of military medical personnel of all branches.

The most common is the use of an emblem in the form of a bowl with a snake for pharmaceutical activities. In any case, this is considered the absolute basis for refusal to register this symbol as a trademark of pharmaceutical companies.
Apparently it is worth mentioning two very common humorous interpretations of the “Bowl with a Snake” emblem. The first is the motto of doctors: “He’s as cunning as a snake, and he’s not a fool to drink.” The second is a popular one with numerous variations: “Mother-in-law eats ice cream.”