Many of you have seen the image of the medical profession, but probably not thought much about the meaning and origins of the symbol or adoption of it to the medical profession.
The ones on the Left are called "Caduceus" and on the right "the rod of Asclepius". I'll just be discussing the "Caduceus".
Here is a brief history and description of this symbol in relation to the medical industry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus
And here is an piece on the history and interpretations of the Caduces
http://www.endicott-studio.com/rdrm/forcaduc.html
I find it fascinating that it was adopted in war time to the medical field, for much of the medical practices and viewpoints on "Health care" continue with this same war time mentality of treatments. These include extreme and heroic measures to keep the patient alive until further treatment and healing can occur. I would interpret this to be that people go to the contemporary doctors in case of life threatening illness, and Allopathic medicine throws all they can at it to keep them alive, long enough (or they don't) for the patient to seek healing from the natural processes with the help of Naturopathic practitioners. Just an observation...
But where I think this symbol sadly plays more of an appropriate roll is in describing the industries economic and health effects. Despite the just intentions, the Allopathic medical profession has caused more deaths and economic bondage than any other industry.
"The long-standing and abundantly attested historical associations of the caduceus with commerce, theft, deception, and death are considered by many to be inappropriate in a symbol used by those engaged in the healing arts." I find it to quite apt!
A report points to Deaths related to medical error to possibly be as high as the 3rd leading cause of death in the US.
"More people die in a given year as a result of medical errors than from motor vehicle accidents (43,458), breast cancer (42,297), or AIDS (16,516)."
"Using a conservative definition, 62.1% of all bankruptcies in 2007 were medical."
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1tIxRO2gHSAfN_tVBgLeSm4q0nesuXyQpQHxUpqs4xF40n4ap40_x6d1Kqntu&hl=en&authkey=CMbG4uwN
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9728&page=1
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9728&page=1
So when you see this symbol...run the other way...
The ones on the Left are called "Caduceus" and on the right "the rod of Asclepius". I'll just be discussing the "Caduceus".
Here is a brief history and description of this symbol in relation to the medical industry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus
And here is an piece on the history and interpretations of the Caduces
http://www.endicott-studio.com/rdrm/forcaduc.html
I find it fascinating that it was adopted in war time to the medical field, for much of the medical practices and viewpoints on "Health care" continue with this same war time mentality of treatments. These include extreme and heroic measures to keep the patient alive until further treatment and healing can occur. I would interpret this to be that people go to the contemporary doctors in case of life threatening illness, and Allopathic medicine throws all they can at it to keep them alive, long enough (or they don't) for the patient to seek healing from the natural processes with the help of Naturopathic practitioners. Just an observation...
But where I think this symbol sadly plays more of an appropriate roll is in describing the industries economic and health effects. Despite the just intentions, the Allopathic medical profession has caused more deaths and economic bondage than any other industry.
"The long-standing and abundantly attested historical associations of the caduceus with commerce, theft, deception, and death are considered by many to be inappropriate in a symbol used by those engaged in the healing arts." I find it to quite apt!
A report points to Deaths related to medical error to possibly be as high as the 3rd leading cause of death in the US.
"More people die in a given year as a result of medical errors than from motor vehicle accidents (43,458), breast cancer (42,297), or AIDS (16,516)."
"Using a conservative definition, 62.1% of all bankruptcies in 2007 were medical."
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=1tIxRO2gHSAfN_tVBgLeSm4q0nesuXyQpQHxUpqs4xF40n4ap40_x6d1Kqntu&hl=en&authkey=CMbG4uwN
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9728&page=1
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9728&page=1
So when you see this symbol...run the other way...
RSS Feed