# Why is there a snake on Apollo's staff? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 13, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096 "2018-05-13T18:14:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/1 "2018-05-13T18:14:19Z")
He was supposed to be the god of medicine. Snakes are the last thing I think of when I think of healing. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/2 "2018-05-13T18:24:41Z")
Here you go: [https://www.livescience.com/33104-why-is-the-medical-symbol-a-snake-on-a-stick.html](https://www.livescience.com/33104-why-is-the-medical-symbol-a-snake-on-a-stick.html) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/3 "2018-05-13T18:38:33Z")
From Wikipedia: > [@](#): > > In honor of Asclepius, a particular type of non-venomous snake was often used in healing rituals, and these snakes – the Aesculapian snakes – crawled around freely on the floor in dormitories where the sick and injured slept. These snakes were introduced at the founding of each new temple of Asclepius throughout the classical world. > **[Rod of Asclepius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_of_Asclepius)** > > In Greek mythology, the Rod of Asclepius (⚕; Ancient Greek: Ῥάβδος τοῦ Ἀσκληπιοῦ, Rhábdos toû Asklēpioû, sometimes also spelled Asklepios), also known as the Staff of Aesculapius and as the asklepian, is a serpent-entwined rod wielded by the Greek god Asclepius, a deity associated with healing and medicine. In modern times, it is the predominant symbol for medicine and health care, although it is sometimes confused with the similar caduceus, which has two snakes and a pair of wings. > The Rod o... ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/4 "2018-05-14T16:22:34Z")
It’s mentioned in the Wikipedia link, but it has been theorized that the Rod of Asclepius represents a twig being used to remove a Guinea worm. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/5 "2018-05-14T17:30:51Z")
> [@cornflakes](#): > > It’s mentioned in the Wikipedia link, but it has been theorized that the Rod of Asclepius represents a twig being used to remove a Guinea worm. PSA: if you don’t know what a Guinea worm is, do yourself a favor and don’t look it up. Just know it’s _extremely_ unpleasant and _never, ever_ drink unpurified water in Asia or Africa. Trust me. You can’t unsee that shit. OTOH, if you don’t know what a Guinea worm is and you’re into gross medical stuff involving visible-to-the-naked-eye-sized internal parasites, you’ll really want to check it out. . ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/6 "2018-05-14T17:36:41Z")
Excellent point (Maybe I should have followed the two click rule!) It is interesting that this parasite has been with us for so long and we are only now close to eradicating it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/7 "2018-05-14T17:40:33Z")
I’m suspicious of the identification with snakes. If you look at the old Greek vase paintings of the caduceus (the double-spiral rod carried by hermes, you’ll notice that is only has spirals – there are no indications that those things are snakes; they lack snake heads. This is true even when the drawing is large enough to include details like snake heads. (Look at the images here, for instance [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caduceus) ) the rod of Asclepius has a single spiral, and in later imagery is drawn as a snake, as well. Again, there’s nothing to suggest that spiral was orioginally a snake. > **[Rod of Asclepius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_of_Asclepius)** > > In Greek mythology, the Rod of Asclepius (⚕; Ancient Greek: Ῥάβδος τοῦ Ἀσκληπιοῦ, Rhábdos toû Asklēpioû, sometimes also spelled Asklepios), also known as the Staff of Aesculapius and as the asklepian, is a serpent-entwined rod wielded by the Greek god Asclepius, a deity associated with healing and medicine. In modern times, it is the predominant symbol for medicine and health care, although it is sometimes confused with the similar caduceus, which has two snakes. > The Rod of Asclepius takes it... This is the thing that some have proposed is associated with the Guinea worm. The single spiral MAKES IT A BETTER FIT, AND I HAVE NO OTHER SUGGESTION FOR THE ORIGIN OF THE IMAGE, BUT I’d LIKE AT LEAST ONE MORE POINT OF CORROBORATION BEFORE I’d DECLARE IT ANYHTHING BESIDES AN INTERESTING SPECULATION. (Sorry – I don’t mean to shout. Ai accidentally hit that “Caps lock”, and I;m not about to retype all that) ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/8 "2018-05-14T18:14:47Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > Snakes are the last thing I think of when I think of healing. Oddly enough, they immediately make me think of the big pharmaceuticals. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/9 "2018-05-14T18:19:51Z")
> [@cornflakes](#): > > Excellent point (Maybe I should have followed the two click rule!) > > It is interesting that this parasite has been with us for so long and we are only now close to eradicating it. If it weren’t for Jimmy Carter, we wouldn’t be trying to eradicate it at all. And it still will be around in wild animals, even if eradicated among humans and domestic animals. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/10 "2018-05-14T19:07:20Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > This is the thing that some have proposed is associated with the Guinea worm. The single spiral MAKES IT A BETTER FIT, AND I HAVE NO OTHER SUGGESTION FOR THE ORIGIN OF THE IMAGE, BUT I’d LIKE AT LEAST ONE MORE POINT OF CORROBORATION BEFORE I’d DECLARE IT ANYHTHING BESIDES AN INTERESTING SPECULATION. > > (Sorry – I don’t mean to shout. Ai accidentally hit that “Caps lock”, and I;m not about to retype all that) Well, I brought it up… It may remain as speculation. [The CDC pretty much leaves it at that.](https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/guineaworm/gwep.html) > [@](#): > > Many believe that the symbol of medicine, the Staff of Asclepius, which shows a snake wrapped around a stick, may actually represent a Guinea worm. With future generations not knowing this disease, medicine’s very symbol will have a new significance. It’s also mentioned in an NIH article discussing the use of the Cadeuces vs the Rod of Asclepius: [Link](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4439707/). ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/11 "2018-05-14T20:06:18Z")
It’s not really relevant to the discussion but… Aesculapian snakes are alive and well on the banks of the Regent’s Canal, North London. > **[Exotic snakes found on banks of Regent's Canal in London could be](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/snakes-capable-of-growing-up-to-two-metres-in-length-invade-regent-s-canal-9349115.html)** > > There has been an increase in sightings of the Aesculapian around the canal in the last couple of months j ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/12 "2018-05-14T20:39:45Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > If it weren’t for Jimmy Carter, we wouldn’t be trying to eradicate it at all. And it still will be around in wild animals, even if eradicated among humans and domestic animals. [So there \*is \*hope](http://www.deadlysins.com/guinea-worm/)! ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/13 "2018-05-14T21:25:35Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [So there \*is \*hope](http://www.deadlysins.com/guinea-worm/)! Next up: Save the Polio Virus Society ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/14 "2018-05-14T22:20:47Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > (Sorry – I don’t mean to shout. Ai accidentally hit that “Caps lock”, and I;m not about to retype all that) I hate it when that happens. These people will fix it for you if you cut and paste: [https://convertcase.net/](https://convertcase.net/) ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/15 "2018-05-15T01:00:46Z")
I was pretty sure the snake was a symbol for medicine because of its ability to shed its skin, but I suppose that might be a post hoc explanation after already thinking the snake is what’s being represented. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/16 "2018-05-15T11:39:55Z")
Nice try folks. Apollo adorned his staff with a snake because snakes are the shizzle and it looks totally cool. He wanted to do a flame job on his helmet, too, but Artemis told him that would look stupid, so he went with wings instead. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-snake-on-apollos-staff/814096/17 "2018-05-15T14:16:16Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > [Rod of Asclepius - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_of_Asclepius) I suppose that by having the snakes around the hospital they would control the rats and mice that would otherwise abound.