Andreea Campeanu/Getty Images
A navy common surgeon receiving a Covid-19 vaccination in Juba, South Sudan, in 2021, by means of the World Health Organisation’s COVAX services.
The recent Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the essential position of hygiene practices, reminiscent of frequent handwashing and sanitisation, in curbing the unfold of illnesses.
Perhaps surprisingly, regardless of no information of germs or micro-organisms, most of the historical concepts about well being and hygiene are mirrored in our personal.
The phrase “hygiene” derives from the Greek “hygieinē technē”, that means “healthful artwork or observe”. At the foundation is the goddess Hygieia, the personification of well being and one of many daughters of Asclepius, the god of drugs.
While Asclepius was extra straight related to therapeutic, Hygieia and her 4 sisters embodied totally different features of well being and drugs. Panacea symbolised common treatment, Iaso recuperation from sickness, Aceso the therapeutic course of, and Aegle radiant good well being.
The reverence for Hygieia (well being, cleanliness, and sanitation) highlights the significance the traditional Greeks placed on preventive measures and hygiene to take care of good well being.
Hygieia and Asclepius have been typically honored collectively in therapeutic sanctuaries, the place folks sought cures for his or her illnesses. During their in a single day keep, the god would seem of their goals to carry out a miraculous remedy or prescribe a therapy.
The discovery of medical devices in such sanctuaries signifies that surgical procedures and different procedures have been additionally carried on the market. The mixture of religion, psychological preparation, medical recommendation and therapy could have continuously resulted in a remedy.
Both Hygieia and Asclepius have been additionally related to snakes: Asclepius’ image was a workers entwined with a snake, which continues to be the image of medical professions and organisations, such because the World Health Organisation.
Hygieia is depicted both holding a snake or feeding it from a bowl. The abbreviated type of this motif, referred to as the ‘’Cup of Health’’, is used as an internationally recognised pharmacy emblem.
Why would this animal be related to therapeutic gods? The snake represents well being and transformation as a result of it’s consistently being renewed and rejuvenated by means of shedding its old pores and skin. In truth, in some sanctuaries of Asclepius, stay snakes have been used for medical remedies.
Interestingly, snake venom in managed doses can be utilized in some conventional medicines for therapeutic functions.
The Greeks had a strongly holistic view of hygiene that emphasised prevention and life-style selections because the keys to good well being. An identical holistic consciousness is mirrored in lots of trendy non-literal makes use of of the phrase hygiene reminiscent of psychological hygiene, ethical hygiene, and even digital hygiene.
So, it appears the affiliation of hygiene, well being, and wellbeing is one thing of a relentless. As an historical Greek poet expressed it in a hymn to Hygieia:
“Hygieia, could I dwell with you for what’s left of my life, and will you graciously go together with me: for any pleasure in wealth or in youngsters or in a king’s godlike rule over males or within the needs which we hunt with the hidden nets of Aphrodite, another delight or respite from toils that has been revealed by the gods to males, with you, blessed Hygeia, it thrives and shines; and with out you no man is completely satisfied.”
The Odyssey of English is a daily sequence wanting on the Greek and Latin origin of phrases, and is a part of the fiftieth anniversary celebrations of Massey University’s Classical Studies programme.
Gina Salapata is an affiliate professor and the co-ordinator of the classical research programme at Massey University. Oliver Ballance is a linguistics lecturer at Massey University.
