Have you ever wondered or thought about what the symbol (Plus-Symbol) that every doctor and medical professional use? Now, let’s know something about the symbol of doctors and medical professionals.

For your kind information, it’s not a plus symbol but it’s a cross symbol. It is Red Cross Emblem. The reason Cross Symbols are used and associated with medical professions is mainly that of its use by the International Red Cross Society.

It is a symbol adopted by International Red Cross society to depict the doctors registered with Red Cross Society, legally all doctors are not entitled to use it. Rather, the sign of medical profession is Caduceus, which is a winged staff with two snakes wrapped around it.

The Symbol Of Red Cross:

The Symbol For Doctors And Medical Professions:

It is a symbol which abides international treaty and restricted by US law. In Muslim-majority countries, the red cross is replaced by red-crescent. What doctors use now of two snakes is from Greek Mythology and even that is mistakenly referred to Caduceus which actually is wrong. The magical wand with two entwined snakes is actually ‘Rod of Asclepius’ who used to treat patients by traveling.

Ancient India:

It is also interesting to note that the symbol of Kundalini is also somewhat the same. The great physician of ancient India, Charaka (which means ‘person on move’) also treated patients by traveling, rather than practicing in one place. Maybe Greeks got this idea from India after Alexander’s Invasion of India.

So, whenever in India we see this symbol we think of a doctor or a hospital. The ICRC ( International Committee of the Red Cross) has for long been trying to stop medical establishments and practitioners from “misusing” its registered ‘Red Cross’ emblem, which is protected under the Geneva Convention of 1949 to which India is a signatory.

This is what Indian Red Cross Society has to say – Red Cross on a white background is the Emblem of Red Cross, recognized in 1864 as the distinctive sign for medical relief teams on the battlefield.

National Society:

The National Society make use of the emblem as an indicative device in peacetime and during armed conflicts within the limits stipulated in national legislation, the regulations and its statutes only for activities consistent with the principles set out by International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

An extract from India’s Red Cross Society:

The Red Cross Movement is driven by the 7 fundamental principles which guide our humanitarian work across borders. This World Red Cross Red Crescent Day, 8th May 2015 we celebrate our principles which help us reach out to anyone in need and crisis. Below are their principles and purpose.

This is something we found about the difference between a Red-Cross Symbol and the Actual Symbol of Doctors and Medical Profession.