“I just discovered that the logo for the Australian Veterinary Association is a centaur holding a caduceus. Considering the similar sentiments we had about centaur design, I thought this might be something you would want to know.”
YOU’D THINK VETERINARIANS WOULD BE THE MOST QUALIFIED TO LOSE THEIR SHIT OVER THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF A HUMAN/HORSE SIX-LIMBED HYBRID MONSTROSITY ARGH
However, because you all may have thought (incorrectly) that I only know piles of useless animal facts, let me also impress you with my mountains of irrelevant Greek myth knowledge!
That stick with one snake is not actually a caduceus - the caduceus was a staff entwined with two snakes, and wings, and carried by Hermes, god of [pretty much everything] commerce, divine messages, thieves, general amorality, flocks of sheep, gymnasiums, etc. This monoserpented staff is actually the rod of Asclepius, the god of medicine. The two are pretty much always confused, and apparently medical historians get their jimmies all kinds of rustled over it.
As for the snake business (which is what you’re all really here for, let’s be honest) there’s actually a species of nonvenomous snake named after this cool dude - the Aesculapian snake. Not only was Asclepius’ staff bedecked with a single magical colubrid, his temples were also always full of free-roaming serpents introduced whenever a new one opened. Honestly, what’s not to like about it amirite
Photo from Nikola Rahmé