?A staff or rod with a snake curled? around it.? This is the Rod?of Aesculapius (also called Asklepios), the ancient?mythical god of medicine. ?Asklepios may have been a real person who was?renowned for his gentle remedies and humane treatment of the?mentally ill.?Today, the staff of Aesculapius is a commonly used symbol of medicine.? It is the symbol of the American Medical Association (AMA) and many other? medical societies.
?A similar symbol, the caduceus, was the staff of the Greek god Hermes.? The caduceus is usually depicted with two snakes and a pair of wings and is often used mistakenly as a symbol of medicine.
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