Archives of The Cold Blooded News

The Newsletter of the Colorado Herpetological Society

Volume 33, Number 1;   January, 2006

The Cadeuceus, the Staff of Aesculapius, and Elaphe longissima

Ever wonder about... the medical symbol with the snake wrapped around a staff?

The single snake wrapped around a wooden staff is the ancient symbol of Aesculapius (or Asclepius in Greek mythology), who was a skilled healer and famous physician.

The staff of Aesculapius's snake is believed to be Elaphe longissima and is found not only in its original range of southern Europe, but also in the various places in Germany and Austria where Roman temples of healing had been established. These snakes were kept in such temples because Aesculapius thought them to be sacred. People believed that he would appear in the form of a snake at times, and patients who saw a snake in their dreams thought it to be Aesculapius himself -- a good omen.

Aesculapius was so skilled in surgery that he could bring the dead back to life. Hades, the ruler of the dead, became concerned about this, and told Zeus. Zeus thought that Aesculapius might render all men immortal, and thus, he killed him with a lightning bolt. .

Another staff that is mistakenly used to represent medicine is the cadeuceus, a similar symbol that also has wings and a second snake. This was the messenger Hermes's staff (note the wings again). Though Hermes is primarily known as the messenger of the gods, he was also known as the deity of commerce and wealth; these areas were known to involve a bit of dishonesty. (Go figure.)

Snakes that escaped from the temples also survived and flourished. "The snake is smooth, glossy, and slender, with a uniformly brown back with a streak of darker color behind the eyes. Its underbelly is yellowish or whitish and has ridged scales that catch easily on rough surfaces, making it especially adapted for climbing trees." (drblayney.com/Asclepius.html)

Sources, and for more information:
http://www.in-ta.net/info/aesculapius/
http://www.inta. net/info/aesculapius/iatros
html drblayney.com/Asclepius.html