There is a parasite that I learned about in college that may have led to the development of this symbol historically. At least that is what my prof said. Mind you, this is years ago and I don't recall correct spelling and I did not have this confirmed in med school.
Dracunculus medianenses is a worm that invades your tissue if you swim in small stagnant bodies of water in Northern Africa and the Eastern Med. It then grows to length of up to 6 or more feet before forming a blister where it sticks its head out. The blister then pops when you get in water again and thousands of eggs are releasesed. If the worm dies it can lead to severe infection so thousands of years ago someone figured out how to capture the head in a forked stick and roll up the worm an inch or two a day until it is removed. This may have been one of the first forms of medical therapy.
Like I said, I have never confirmed this anywhere else. But then again, who cares. It is a good story anyway.
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I was there to see beautiful naked women. So was everybody else. It's a common failing.
Robert A Heinlein in "They Do It With Mirrors"
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