The Explorers' Club, № DCCCLXXVI

The Rod of Asclepius & the Caduceus, Part II
The Caduceus—A symbol of commerce & messengers, consisting of two snakes coiled around a staff, often winged but sometimes not, borne by the god Hermes & other mythical messengers in the ancient Greek pagan religion; in 1871, the caduceus was adopted as a symbol of what became the U.S. Public Health Service & in 1902, it was adopted as the symbol of the U.S. Army Medical Corps.

Commentary: The use of the caduceus, a symbol of commerce, instead of the rod of Asclepius, a symbol of healing, as the symbol of health care in these United States speaks volumes about the mindset of the American medical-industrial complex: profits are more important than patients.

Semper exploro.