Dr James Appleyard, Chairman of the World Medical Association's
medical ethics committee, supports the modern use of the ancient
Hippocratic oath as "the continuation of a statement of fundamental ethical
principles that could be affirmed at graduation by doctors
worldwide".[3]
The World Medical Association's logo[4] features a
serpent wrapped around a staff, the symbol of the ancient Greek god Asklepios.
Aesculapius, worshipped by the Greeks as the god of healing, who originated in
ancient Egypt as Imhotep, high-priest, sage and minister to the pharaoh, Zoser.
It is significant that this symbol is reminiscent of the Staff of Moses.[5]
The World Health Organisation's logo[6] also contains the ancient religious
symbol of the serpent and staff, which is superimposed over the United Nations emblem.
In fact, the medical establishment is steeped in ancient religious symbolism.
The British Columbia Medical Association coat of arms[7] includes the Rod of Aesculapius,
a golden griffin where the substance represents alchemy, a medieval knight's helmet,
and an ancient Egyptian Ankh (Crux Ansata or Handled Cross). The Insider approves of
their official motto: "Always seek the truth." Paramedics also use the symbol of staff and serpent
in the internationally recognised paramedic symbol[8], also called The Star of Life[9].
The resemblence between this sign and the early Christian symbol of the Pax Christi (Chi-Rho)[10],
a cross-like monogram for Christ in ancient Greek, may be significant.
The Wellcome Trust, a major medical charity, employs the winged staff and snakes of Hermes[11] as
their official logo, and for no apparent reason there is a huge image of the ancient Egyptian religious symbols
of the Udjat eye of Horus and the Winged Disc of Ra,
etched into the glass above their entrance opposite Euston train station in the West End of London.
The winged sun disc is an ancient symbol for the sun god, Ra.
Well known examples of the winged solar disc symbol can be found in ancient Egyptian temples,
for instance over the entrance to the Solar Temple of Amen-Ra at Karnak, or
or over the Temple doorway in Medinet Habu on the West bank of Luxor.
The Royal Society of Medicine coat of arms[12] features the serpent of Moses on a Tau cross,
and flowers which resemble the stylised Lotus frequently depicted in ancient Egyptian art. In this discussion
about secret societies and the modern of ancient symbols it is pertinent that The Royal Society - the
foremost scientific institution in the U.K., was founded by a prominent Freemason, Sir Robert Moray.[13]
John Robinson explains in his popular book on Freemasonry:
"When Freemasonry came public in 1717 ... it appeared that the Royal Society was virtually a Masonic subsidiary, with
almost every member and every founding member of the Royal Society a Freemason."[14] An article in the leading
Masonic magazine, Freemasonry Today, echoes this and mentions that "many masons were also members of the
Royal Society".[15] The Royal Society remains associated with British Freemasonry today.
The Red Cross was first associated with human welfare and medical help during the medieval crusades,
when European Knights travelled overseas to help pilgrims and foreigners alike, such as the
Knights of St John[16], the Knights Hospitaller, and the Knights Templar[17] which was the first
organisation to officially adopt the red cross symbol.
The Knights Templar[18] has been operating in secret for centuries, and traditions and inner
mysteries are connected with those of the secret society of Freemasonry[19].
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