The BMA's logo
The BMA's logo of a snake entwined around a stick is a stylised version of the rod and staff of Asclepius, the Greek god of healing. The snake associated with Asclepius is a species of rat-snake, Elaphe longissima, native to the south-east of Europe and Asia Minor. Isolated populations which also exist in Germany and Switzerland are the descendants of specimens brought to health resorts by the Romans.
Asclepius
Asclepius is supposed to have been born at Epidauros, the son of Apollo and Coronis. The centaur Chiron is said to have taught him how to treat the sick, primarily by using herbs. Asclepius' two sons were army doctors who accompanied Agamemnon to Troy. Two of his daughters were Hygeia, goddess of health, and Panacea, restorer of health and provider of medicines.
The cult of Asclepius began in Thessaly gradually spreading throughout Greece, reaching Athens in 420BC. Epidauros in Southern Greece became particularly well-known as a centre of worship. Buildings dedicated to the God were not just single temples. In addition to the temple would be found an abaton where the patients slept, a bathing place, buildings for physical therapy, and occasionally a stadium or amphitheatre. There was usually also a grove of trees and a spring near the sacred site.
After a service at the temple the patient would go to sleep in the abaton. Here, when the temple servants had put out the lights with appropriate ceremonies, the patient would fall asleep and dream a dream called the incubation or temple sleep. The dream would indicate to the priest the treatment to be administered. It is possible that the patient was drugged to numb his senses so that the actions of the priest would appear to be part of his dream. As the patient slowly lost consciousness the priest and his attendants moved around the abaton followed by the sacred snakes which would lick the patient's wounds.
The Roman version of the God is known as Aesculapius The cult arrived in Rome when the Romans were suffering from a plague epidemic. While a mission from Epidauros was sailing up the Tiber a snake sprang from the ship and swam ashore. A temple was built to Asclepius on the spot where the snake had landed.
Biblical references
In the Bible snakes represent two opposing ideas. They are portrayed both as symbols of evil, for example when the serpent tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, and also as a saviour of mankind in times of disease and distress. By shredding its skin the snake represents the renewal of life.
In the Old Testament Moses in particular is associated with snakes. In Numbers chapter 21 the Israelites, while in the desert, were punished by God by a plague of snakes the bites of which caused many to die. In response Moses created a serpent of brass and placed it on a pole with which those who had been bitten were cured: So Moses developed a mystic snake remedy, placed it upon an applicator, and applied it, to the person who was bitten by a snake. Whosoever submitted to this magical remedy survived. Numbers 21:7
Later the brass serpent of Moses became a favourite prefiguration of Christ nailed to the Cross: And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. John 3:14 As Christ redeemed or cured Mankind by His Crucifixion so the brass serpent representing Christ nailed to the Cross was viewed as a symbol of healing.
In addition, Psalm 23 reads that even as we walk through the valley of the shadow a staff will comfort us: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.Psalm 23:4 In ancient Egypt a staff was the sign of a travelling physician.
Another possible explanation for the origin of the snake and staff as a symbol of healing is found in primitive societies, particularly those in tropical areas, where one of the major parasites is the guinea worm. At certain stages in its life cycle the worm buries itself in the skin of its hosts. Traditionally one way to remove the worm has been to insert a stick into the worm's "burrow". The worm will coil itself around the stick and so be removed.
The double snake
The caduceus was the wand carried by the Greek god Hermes (known as Mercury to the Romans) as the messenger of the gods. The wand or caduceus of Hermes is usually represented as a staff with wings and two snakes coiled around it with which the god could induce sleep. A white caduceus was used by Roman officers as a symbol of office when seeking a peace treaty. The staff without wings and with a double snake has now been adopted as a symbol of medicine by many organisations including the RAF Medical Service and the Wellcome Trust while other organisations such as the BMA and the American Medical Association use the Staff of Asclepius with a single snake as their logo.
For further information, contact the BMA Archive at:
BMA House
Tavistock Square
London
WC1H 9JP
Tel: 020 7383 6588
email: bmaarchive@bma.org.uk