Simbología en medicina y ciencias de la salud / Symbology in medicine and health sciences

La inclusión curricular de la historia de la medicina se hace cada vez más importante, y dentro de la misma el estudio de la simbología en medicina es un tema muy interesante y a veces polémico. Los símbolos asociados a la medicina usualmente presentan serpientes asociadas a los mismos, siendo los más reconocidos el bastón de Asclepio/Esculapio y el caduceo de Hermes/Mercurio. Las serpientes se encuentran asociadas a consideraciones positivas y negativas en las diferentes culturas del mundo. En el Antiguo Egipto eran símbolos de sabiduría y poder. En la Biblia tenían un rol dual y una participación en al menos un evento relacionado a curaciones masivas. La mitología griega nos provee de elementos que conectan a serpientes enrolladas en torno a una rama o vara directamente con la medicina. El tratamiento de la dracunculiasis nos otorga otra vía de conexión entre esta imagen y la medicina. El bastón de Asclepio/Esculapio se reconoce como símbolo de la medicina y las ciencias de la salud en general, mientras que el caduceo se asocia a otras profesiones no médicas.

The curricular inclusion of the history of medicine is becoming more and more important, and within it the study of symbology in medicine is a very interesting and sometimes controversial subject. The symbols associated with medicine usually present snakes associated with them, the most recognized being the rod of Asclepius/ Aesculapius and the Hermes/Mercury caduceus. Snakes are associated with positive and negative considerations in the different cultures of the world. In Ancient Egypt they were symbols of wisdom and power. In the Bible they had a dual role and a participation in at least one event related to massive healings. Greek mythology provides us with elements that connect snakes coiled around a branch or rod directly to medicine. The treatment of dracunculiasis gives us another way of connection between this image and medicine. The rod of Asclepius/ Aesculapius is recognized as a symbol of medicine and health sciences in general, while the caduceus is associated with other non-medical professions

Mitología griega y medicina: asclepio, su bastón y una confusión de larga data / Greek mythology and medicine: asclepio, his stick and a long-data confusion

El pueblo griego brindó las bases no solo del llamado pensamiento occidental o racional, sino que influenció con su mitología en mu-chos aspectos que circundan el contexto mé-dico. Algunos de estos elementos son tratados en este artículo; a saber: el origen de Asclepio ­Esculapio para los romanos- Dios de la me-dicina, sus formas de curar, el símbolo que lo identifica -el bastón con la serpiente enrolla-da, y el origen de confusión con el caduceo de Hermes.

The Greeks provided not just the bases of the western though or rationalism, but their knowledge also influenced with their mytholo-gy in many aspects related to medicine. Some of those aspects are shown in this paper. We will start with the origin of Asclepius ­Aescula-pius for the Romans- God of medicine, his the-rapeutic system, the symbol that identifies it ­a wooden staff encircled by a single snake-, and finally with the origin of confusion with the ca-duceus of Hermes.

El bastón de Esculapio: su historia / The walking stick of Aesculapius: its history

Se realizó la revisión bibliográfica con el objetivo de que los jóvenes profesionales de la salud conozcan acerca de la historia, origen y significado del distintivo que representa a la Medicina en todos sus campos con un carácter humanista y elevados valores éticos y morales: el emblema de Esculapio, al que se le atribuyen dotes para calmar o apaciguar. Esta imagen del bastón con la serpiente es la que ha quedado como un atributo del dios curativo y ha llegado hasta la actualidad como símbolo de la Medicina.

The literature review was made in order to young health professionals know about the history , origin and meaning of the emblem that represents the Medicine in all fields with humanist and high ethical values and moral character : the Aesculapius emblem, the feats attributed to him to calm or appease . This image of the snake with the cane has remained as a healing attribute of God and has come to the present as a symbol of medicine.

En defensa de la identidad médica cubana / Defending the Cuban medical identity

Sobre el origen de los emblemas que tienen que ver con la medicina mucho se escribe pero poco se conoce, es por ello que aún se aprecia el uso incorrecto del Caduceo de Mercurio en instituciones de salud, y quizás por facilismo o por ignorancia se han adoptado símbolos que no son los que caracterizan a la medicina en Cuba. El propósito que persigue este trabajo es reflexionar sobre este tema por la necesidad del uso adecuado de los símbolos que identifican a los trabajadores de la salud pública cubana. Se revisaron artículos científicos y se exploraron sitios Web, por lo que se pudo demostrar que el emblema que identifica al sistema de salud cubano dignamente es el Caduceo de Esculapio, al que se le atribuyen dotes para calmar o apaciguar. Esta imagen del bastón con la serpiente es la que ha quedado como un atributo del dios curativo y ha llegado hasta la actualidad como símbolo de la medicina(AU)

Much has been written, but little is known about the origin of the symbols that have to do with medicine. This is the reason why we still notice the inadequate use of the caduceus of Mercury in health institutions, and the adoption of symbols that are not characteristic of medicine in Cuba. This paper was aimed at clarifying some concepts and pieces of information on this topic, which will allow properly using the symbols that should identify the Cuban health care workers. Several scientific articles were reviewed and a number of websites were visited to demonstrate that the identity symbol of the Cuban health system is the Rod of Asclepius, which is considered to have properties of calming down or pacifying people. The staff with the serpent entwined around it is the image which has remained as an attribute of the healer god and as a symbol of medicine at present(AU)

En defensa de la identidad médica cubana / Defending the Cuban medical identity

Sobre el origen de los emblemas que tienen que ver con la medicina mucho se escribe pero poco se conoce, es por ello que aún se aprecia el uso incorrecto del Caduceo de Mercurio en instituciones de salud, y quizás por facilismo o por ignorancia se han adoptado símbolos que no son los que caracterizan a la medicina en Cuba. El propósito que persigue este trabajo es reflexionar sobre este tema por la necesidad del uso adecuado de los símbolos que identifican a los trabajadores de la salud pública cubana. Se revisaron artículos científicos y se exploraron sitios Web, por lo que se pudo demostrar que el emblema que identifica al sistema de salud cubano dignamente es el Caduceo de Esculapio, al que se le atribuyen dotes para calmar o apaciguar. Esta imagen del bastón con la serpiente es la que ha quedado como un atributo del dios curativo y ha llegado hasta la actualidad como símbolo de la medicina

Much has been written, but little is known about the origin of the symbols that have to do with medicine. This is the reason why we still notice the inadequate use of the caduceus of Mercury in health institutions, and the adoption of symbols that are not characteristic of medicine in Cuba. This paper was aimed at clarifying some concepts and pieces of information on this topic, which will allow properly using the symbols that should identify the Cuban health care workers. Several scientific articles were reviewed and a number of websites were visited to demonstrate that the identity symbol of the Cuban health system is the Rod of Asclepius, which is considered to have properties of calming down or pacifying people. The staff with the serpent entwined around it is the image which has remained as an attribute of the healer god and as a symbol of medicine at present

O Simbolo da Medicina e o Verme da Guine / The symbol of Medicine and the Guinea worm

O verdadeiro símbolo da medicina é um bastão com uma serpente em volta em espiral. No entanto, o símbolo de Hermes, com duas serpentes e duas asas na extremidade superior, que é na verdade o símbolo do comércio, tem sido erroneamente usado nos Estados Unidos como símbolo da medicina. Recentemente muitas publicações presentes na internet têm propagado a origem do símbolo, em que há o bastão de Asclépio com uma serpente, ser baseada na figura do nematódeo Dracunculus medinensis enrolado em uma varinha, método ainda usado para a extração do verme. No entanto, não são apresentados documentos históricos nem há respaldo de eminentes autores e estudiosos sobre História da Medicina. O artigo mais antigo a respeito encontrado pelo autor, é de um médico neozelandês, sem bibliografia, que relata como provável origem do símbolo da medicina a figura do nematódeo enrolado na varinha. Os demais artigos relatam a repetição dessa ideia, constante também na Wikipedia. Diante dos estudos e documentos históricos que demonstram o bastão com uma serpente nele envolta ser símbolo da medicina, questiona-se a convalidação dessa corrente de interpretação.

The true symbol of medicine is a staff with a serpent coiled around. However, the symbol of Hermes, with two snakes and two wings at the upper end, which is actually the symbol of commerce, has been wrongly used in the United States as a symbol of medicine. Recently many publications have propagated on the internet presents the origin of the symbol, which is the baton of Asclepius with a snake, be based on the figure of the nematode Dracunculus medinensis wrapped in a wand, the method used for the extraction of the worm. However, historical documents are not presented nor is there support from leading authors and scholars on the History of Medicine. The oldest article found about the author, is a New Zealand doctor, no bibliography, which relates how likely origin of the symbol of medicine figure curled on the nematode wand. Other articles report the repetition of this idea, also contained in Wikipedia. Considering the studies and historical documents that show the staff with a serpent wrapped it be a symbol of medicine, we question the validation of this current interpretation.

Um médico no céu / A doctor in the heaven

Júpiter é nome do maior e mais brilhante dos planetas do sistema solar e nome do mais poderoso deus da mitologia romana, Zeus na mitologia grega. Dotado de grande erotismo, amou muitas mulheres e veio a se casar com a própria irmã Juno (Hera). Teve muitos filhos, dentre os quais Apolo, Diana (Ártemis), Hermes (Mercúrio), Áries (Marte), Dionísio (Baco), Perseu, Helena de Troia, Pólux, Hércules. Zeus fez Hera amamentar Hércules, seu filho bastardo. Algumas gotas de leite escaparam e, sopradas ao vento, deram origem às estrelas da Via Láctea. Apolo amou Coronis, uma mortal que, mesmo grávida, foi infiel a Apolo e este mandou matá-la. Na pira funerária, com uma faca, Apollo retirou-lhe do ventre o filho ainda vivo, Esculápio. Este, com o centauro Quíron, aprendeu a arte de tratar doenças. Por seu dom de curar doentes e ressuscitar mortos, suscitou inveja e ódio de Júpiter, que o fulminou com raios. A pedido de Apolo, Zeus o tornou deus oficial da medicina e o enviou aos céus onde se encontra na constelação Serpentário.

Jupiter is both the name of the bigger and the most shining planet in the solar system and of the most powerful god in Roman mythology, Zeus for the Greek mythology. Endowed with intense erotism, he came to love several women and has finnaly married his own sister Juno (Hera). He had a number of children, namely Apollo, Diana (Artemis), Hermes (Mercury), Aries (Mars), Dionysius (Bacchus), Perseus, Helen of Troy, Pollux, Hercules. Zeus enforced Hera to breastfeed Hercules, his bastard son. Some milk drops have happened to scape and as they were blown away with the wind the Milky Way stars came to be. Apollo has loved Coronis, a mortal human being, but even pregnant from him, she was unfeithful to Apollo and he ordered her killing. In her funeral pyre, through a cut with a knife Apollo could rescue the still alive baby Aesculapius from her womb. As he became grown up, Aesculapius learned from the centaur Cheiron the art of curing diseases. Because of his ability of curing ill people and reviving the dead he raised against him Zeus? envy and wrath, who, then, killed him from a thunderbolt. Afterwards, before the Apollo?s pleas Zeus has turned Aesclepius the god of medicine and sent him away up to the heavens where he is until the present days in the Ophiucus constellation.

El origen griego del caduceo: Esculapio / The greek origin of caduceum: Esculapius

Introducción: La historia de la medicina posibilita reflexionar sobre el caduceo como la síntesis de la dialéctica de la vida sensible y la espiritual. Esto abre un horizonte de comprensión y permite recuperar la leyenda de Esculapio y su culto con los diferentes elementos simbólicos que la componen. La leyenda: Los referentes históricos y mitológicos de la existencia de Esculapio dan consistencia a la leyenda en un ambito de realidad y ficción perdurando en la tradición médica occidental como el referente místico de la deidad para el ejercicio de la medicina. El culto: Se basa en la incubación y sintetiza ritos de sanación y practicas terapéuticas, tanto médicas como quirúrgicas, ademas de ejercicio, curas de sueño y actividades recreativas. El símbolo: El origen lingüístico de su nombre, el simbolismo de los actores de la leyenda y la representación iconogrßfica de sus atributos, convergen en el caduceo para representar la síntesis de ideas y prßcticas médicas asociadas con la vida humana. Conclusiones: La imagen de Esculapio trasciende la divinidad del olimpo y se sitúa como el arquetipo de la curación; por tanto, el caduceo es consistente con la representación de un sistema-mundo que domina el ejercicio de la medicina contemporanea.

Introduction: Medicine history gives us the chance to reflect about the Caduceus as the synthesis of the dialectic of the sensible and spiritual life. This opens and horizon of comprehension and allow us to recover the legend of Asclepius and it´s cult with the different symbolic elements that structure it. The legend: The historic and mythological references about AsclepiusÆ existence gives structure to the legend in a real and not-real environment perduring in the occidental medicine tradition as a mystical reference to the deity for the medical practice. The cult: ItÆs based in the incubation and synthesizes healing rites and therapeutical practices, as medical as surgical; exercise, sleep cures and amusement activities. The symbol: The linguistic origin of AsclepiusÆ name, the symbolism of the legend protagonists and the iconographic representation of their attributes, converge in the Caduceus to represent the medical practices and ideas synthesis, all them related to the human life. Conclusion: Asclepius perception transcends the Olympic divinity and situates him as the healing archetype; that´s why Caduceus is consistent with the system-world representation that rules the actual medical practice.

El caduceo de la Medicina, símbolo distintivo y emblema oficial de la Salud Pública cubana / The caduceus of Medicine, a distinctive symbol and official emblem of Cuban Public Helath

Se analiza el desArrollo histórico de los símbolos utilizados para representar la Medicina en su práctica social. Se hace referencia a los 2 símbolos utilizados: el de Mercurio y el de Esculapio. Se justifica la pertinencia del símbolo de Esculapio para representar el carácter social de la Medicina cubana

The historical development of the symbols used to represent Medicine in its social practice is analyzed. Reference is made to 2 symbols used: Mercury and Aesculapius. The relevancy of the Aesculapius symbol to represent the social character of the Cuban Medicine is proved.

Origen y evolución del símbolo de la Medicina / Origin and evolution of the symbol of Medicine

El símbolo de la Medicina es un elemento de indispensable conocimiento para los profesionales de la salud; sin embargo muchos desconocen su significado o no lo identifican adecuadamente. Este símbolo llamado también el bastón de Esculapio representa la profesión médica como relación desinteresada con los pacientes. Sus elementos son: una vara fina con un nudo en el extremo superior, rematado por un espejo; una serpiente enroscada en la vara, cuya cabeza queda mirando hacia la izquierda frente al espejo; también está adornado por una rama de laurel a la izquierda y una de roble a la derecha. Esculapio fue un médico notable en la antigua Grecia y después de su muerte fue inmortalizado en la mitología. Además de este símbolo, y tan antiguo como él, aparece otro caduceo con elementos similares, que representa a Mercurio o Hermes, personaje mitológico que los romanos consideraban el dios del comercio y era adorado por comerciantes y mercaderes por ser el protector de los cambios, el tráfico y el comercio en general; también se le atribuía la invención de los pesos y las medidas

The symbol of Medicine is an indispensable element of knowledge for health professionals; however, many of them do not know its meaning or are not able to identify it adequately. This symbol also called Aesculapius' baton represents the medical profession as an uninterested relationship with the patients. Its elements are: a fine cane with a knot in the upper extreme, terminated with a mirror, and a snake twisted in the cane, looking at the left in front of the mirror. It is also adorned with a branch of laurel on the left and a branch of oak on the right. Aesculapius was an outstanding doctor in old Greece and after his death he was inmortalized in mythology. In addition to this symbol and as old as it, there is another caduceus with similar elements representing Mercury or Hermes, a mythological character considered by the Romans as the God of Commerce and that was adored by traders and merchants for being the protector of changes, traffic and commerce in general. The invention of weights and measures was also attributed to him.