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| St. Patrick banishing snakes from Ireland Image courtesy of Jim Fitzpatrick |
Asclepius, a deity associated with healing and medicinal arts in Greek mythology, is depicted in ancient statues, pottery and coins with snakes and the staff. Because of this association a particular type of non-venomous snake was often used in healing rituals by the ancients. These snakes crawled freely on the floor in dormitories where the sick and injured slept.
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| Illustration of the Rod of Asclepius. |
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| Aphorisms of Hippocrates dated to 1571. The snake and staff symbol can be seen clearly. Image courtesy of John P. McGovern Historical Collection |
If Asclepius is the 'god of medicine' than Hippocrates is the 'father of medicine'. Hippocrates dedicated his life to studying medicine, establishing medicine as a distinct discipline and founding the Hippocratic School of Medicine in the 3rd century BC. The Hippocratic Oath was taken by physicians and required them to uphold specific ethical standards and it originally began with the words
' I swear by Apollo the Physician and by Asclepius and by Hygieia and Panacea and by all the gods...'
The oath has under gone numerous changes over the centuries but still forms the nucleus of that taken by physicians today. Asclepius can be seen as the central statue on top of the College's main building on St Stephen's Green with Hygieia, goddess of health and healing, to his left. Next time you are passing RCSI Stephens Green look up and you will see a god.
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy
- Researched and written by Meadhbh Murphy