I love that the Americans use the staff with two snakes, the Caduceus, which is a symbol of commerce instead of the proper Rod of Asclepius, with one snake, which is the symbol of medicine.
I used to think they just fucked up and used the wrong symbol. But it is more fitting for their system.
Interesting.
Now I'm off to find how a mfing snake ever became a symbol of health.
The Rod of Asclepius takes its name from the Greek god Asclepius, a deity associated with healing and medicinal arts in ancient Greek religion and mythology. Asclepius' attributes, the snake and the staff, sometimes depicted separately in antiquity, are combined in this symbol.[2][full citation needed]
In honour of Asclepius, a particular type of non-venomous rat snake was often used in healing rituals, and these snakes – the Aesculapian snakes – crawled around freely on the floor in dormitories where the sick and injured slept. These snakes were introduced at the founding of each new temple of Asclepius throughout the classical world.
The significance of the serpent has been interpreted in many ways; sometimes the shedding of skin and renewal is emphasized as symbolizing rejuvenation,[8][a] while other assessments center on the serpent as a symbol that unites and expresses the dual nature of the work of the Apothecary Physician, who deals with life and death, sickness and health.[10] The ambiguity of the serpent as a symbol, and the contradictions it is thought to represent, reflect the ambiguity of the use of drugs,[8] which can help or harm, as reflected in the meaning of the term pharmakon, which meant "drug", "medicine", and "poison" in ancient Greek.[11] However the word may become less ambiguous when "medicine" is understood as something that heals the one taking it because it poisons that which afflicts it, meaning medicine is designed to kill or drive away something and any healing happens as a result of that thing being gone, not as a direct effect of medicine. Products deriving from the bodies of snakes were known to have medicinal properties in ancient times, and in ancient Greece, at least some were aware that snake venom that might be fatal if it entered the bloodstream could often be imbibed. Snake venom appears to have been prescribed in some cases as a form of therapy.[12]
Microbiologist here: I was taught that part of the origin of the symbol was the way a specific worm was removed, you had a stick or rod or whatever and you made a little incision where the worm is, then slowly pull it out and wind it around the rod
One of man’s first medical procedures
United Healthcare: "but is it really necessary to stay alive?"
United Healthcare: “but is it really necessary to stay alive?”
"I DUNNO MOTHERFUCKER, IS IT?!"
- Luigi Mangione
United Healthcare: .... we make money first ... we just do health care on the side
That's just the thing isn't it though? They don't do healthcare. At all. They don't DO ANYTHING but make money as a middleman. We must destroy the health insurance industry with universal healthcare, if we ever get another chance.
Average American: but that's socialist/communist!
It had to be forced on the people of the UK. The idea was quite unpopular. Once they tried it, it became the most popular part of the government. I think it has a lot more support here.
I clicked on the link. Page Not Found. Did it get taken down?
1. Be civil
No trolling, bigotry or other insulting / annoying behaviour
2. No politics
This is non-politics community. For political memes please go to !politicalmemes@lemmy.world
3. No recent reposts
Check for reposts when posting a meme, you can only repost after 1 month
4. No bots
No bots without the express approval of the mods or the admins
5. No Spam/Ads
No advertisements or spam. This is an instance rule and the only way to live.
A collection of some classic Lemmy memes for your enjoyment
