Difference between revisions of "Template:Caduceus confusion summary"
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{{main|Caduceus as a symbol of medicine}} | {{main|Caduceus as a symbol of medicine}} | ||
| − | [[File:US Army Medical Corps Branch Plaque.gif|thumb|The [[Medical Corps (United States Army)|US Army Medical Corps]] Branch Plaque. The adoption, in 1902, of the caduceus for US Army medical officer uniforms popularized the erroneous use of the symbol throughout the medical field in the United States.]] | + | [[File:US Army Medical Corps Branch Plaque.gif|thumb|upright=0.8|The [[Medical Corps (United States Army)|US Army Medical Corps]] Branch Plaque. The adoption, in 1902, of the caduceus for US Army medical officer uniforms popularized the erroneous use of the symbol throughout the medical field in the United States.]] |
{{#if: {{{1|}}}|[[File:Rod of Asclepius2.svg|thumb|right|upright={{{1|}}}|[[Rod of Asclepius]]]]}} | {{#if: {{{1|}}}|[[File:Rod of Asclepius2.svg|thumb|right|upright={{{1|}}}|[[Rod of Asclepius]]]]}} | ||
It is relatively common, especially in the United States, to find the caduceus, with its two snakes and wings, used as a symbol of medicine instead of the correct {{#if: {{{1|}}}|[[Rod of Asclepius]]|Rod of Asclepius}}, with only a single snake. This usage is erroneous, popularised largely as a result of the adoption of the caduceus as its insignia by the [[Medical Corps (United States Army)|U.S. Army Medical Corps]] in 1902 at the insistence of a single officer (though there are conflicting claims as to whether this was Capt. Frederick P. Reynolds or Col. John R. van Hoff).<ref>F.H. Garrison, "The Use of the Caduceus in the Insignia of the Army Medical Officer", in ''Bull. Med. Lib. Assoc.'' IX (1919-20), 13-16</ref><ref name=Engle>{{cite journal|first=Bernice|last=Engle|title=The Use of Mercury's Caduceus as a Medical Emblem"|journal=The Classical Journal|volume=25|number=1|date=Dec 1929|page=205}}</ref> | It is relatively common, especially in the United States, to find the caduceus, with its two snakes and wings, used as a symbol of medicine instead of the correct {{#if: {{{1|}}}|[[Rod of Asclepius]]|Rod of Asclepius}}, with only a single snake. This usage is erroneous, popularised largely as a result of the adoption of the caduceus as its insignia by the [[Medical Corps (United States Army)|U.S. Army Medical Corps]] in 1902 at the insistence of a single officer (though there are conflicting claims as to whether this was Capt. Frederick P. Reynolds or Col. John R. van Hoff).<ref>F.H. Garrison, "The Use of the Caduceus in the Insignia of the Army Medical Officer", in ''Bull. Med. Lib. Assoc.'' IX (1919-20), 13-16</ref><ref name=Engle>{{cite journal|first=Bernice|last=Engle|title=The Use of Mercury's Caduceus as a Medical Emblem"|journal=The Classical Journal|volume=25|number=1|date=Dec 1929|page=205}}</ref> | ||
| − | The | + | The Rod of Asclepius is the dominant symbol for professional healthcare associations in the United States. One survey found that 62% of professional healthcare associations used the rod of Asclepius as their symbol.<ref>{{cite book|last=Friedlander|first=Walter J|title=The Golden Wand of Medicine: A History of the Caduceus symbol in medicine|publisher=Greenwood Press|year=1992|ISBN=0-313-28023-1}}</ref> The same survey found that 76% of commercial healthcare organizations used the Caduceus symbol. The author of the study suggests the difference exists because professional associations are more likely to have a real understanding of the two symbols, whereas commercial organizations are more likely to be concerned with the visual impact a symbol will have in selling their products. |
The long-standing and abundantly attested historical associations of the caduceus with commerce are considered by many to be inappropriate in a symbol used by those engaged in the healing arts.<ref name=Engle/> This has occasioned significant criticism of the use of the caduceus in a medical context. | The long-standing and abundantly attested historical associations of the caduceus with commerce are considered by many to be inappropriate in a symbol used by those engaged in the healing arts.<ref name=Engle/> This has occasioned significant criticism of the use of the caduceus in a medical context. | ||
{{cquote|As god of the high-road and the market-place Hermes was perhaps above all else the patron of commerce and the fat purse: as a corollary, he was the special protector of the traveling salesman. As spokesman for the gods, he not only brought peace on earth (occasionally even the peace of death), but his silver-tongued eloquence could always make the worse appear the better cause.<ref>An allusion to [[John Milton]]'s description of [[Belial]] in [[Paradise Lost]] II.113-114.</ref> From this latter point of view, would not his symbol be suitable for certain Congressmen, all medical quacks, book agents and purveyors of vacuum cleaners, rather than for the straight-thinking, straight-speaking therapeutist? As conductor of the dead to their subterranean abode, his emblem would seem more appropriate on a hearse than on a physician's car.|4=Stuart L. Tyson|5="The Caduceus", in The Scientific Monthly<ref>{{cite journal|last=Tyson|first=Stuart L|title=The Caduceus|journal=Scientific Monthly|volume=34|number=6|page=495|date=1932}}</ref>}}<noinclude>{{Reflist}}</noinclude> | {{cquote|As god of the high-road and the market-place Hermes was perhaps above all else the patron of commerce and the fat purse: as a corollary, he was the special protector of the traveling salesman. As spokesman for the gods, he not only brought peace on earth (occasionally even the peace of death), but his silver-tongued eloquence could always make the worse appear the better cause.<ref>An allusion to [[John Milton]]'s description of [[Belial]] in [[Paradise Lost]] II.113-114.</ref> From this latter point of view, would not his symbol be suitable for certain Congressmen, all medical quacks, book agents and purveyors of vacuum cleaners, rather than for the straight-thinking, straight-speaking therapeutist? As conductor of the dead to their subterranean abode, his emblem would seem more appropriate on a hearse than on a physician's car.|4=Stuart L. Tyson|5="The Caduceus", in The Scientific Monthly<ref>{{cite journal|last=Tyson|first=Stuart L|title=The Caduceus|journal=Scientific Monthly|volume=34|number=6|page=495|date=1932}}</ref>}}<noinclude>{{Reflist}}</noinclude> | ||
Revision as of 18:44, 13 May 2017
It is relatively common, especially in the United States, to find the caduceus, with its two snakes and wings, used as a symbol of medicine instead of the correct Rod of Asclepius, with only a single snake. This usage is erroneous, popularised largely as a result of the adoption of the caduceus as its insignia by the U.S. Army Medical Corps in 1902 at the insistence of a single officer (though there are conflicting claims as to whether this was Capt. Frederick P. Reynolds or Col. John R. van Hoff).[1][2]
The Rod of Asclepius is the dominant symbol for professional healthcare associations in the United States. One survey found that 62% of professional healthcare associations used the rod of Asclepius as their symbol.[3] The same survey found that 76% of commercial healthcare organizations used the Caduceus symbol. The author of the study suggests the difference exists because professional associations are more likely to have a real understanding of the two symbols, whereas commercial organizations are more likely to be concerned with the visual impact a symbol will have in selling their products.
The long-standing and abundantly attested historical associations of the caduceus with commerce are considered by many to be inappropriate in a symbol used by those engaged in the healing arts.[2] This has occasioned significant criticism of the use of the caduceus in a medical context.
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| — Stuart L. Tyson, "The Caduceus", in The Scientific Monthly[4] | ||
- ↑ F.H. Garrison, "The Use of the Caduceus in the Insignia of the Army Medical Officer", in Bull. Med. Lib. Assoc. IX (1919-20), 13-16
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Engle, Bernice (Dec 1929). "The Use of Mercury's Caduceus as a Medical Emblem"". The Classical Journal. 25 (1): 205.
- ↑ Friedlander, Walter J (1992). The Golden Wand of Medicine: A History of the Caduceus symbol in medicine. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-28023-1.
- ↑ Tyson, Stuart L (1932). "The Caduceus". Scientific Monthly. 34 (6): 495.