[hunterb123]

> The Caduceus became a symbol of alchemy and pharmacy in medieval Europe. Its first appearance as a medical symbol can be traced back to 1st−4th century CE in Oculists’ stamps that were found mostly in Celtic areas, such as Gaul, Germany and Britain, which had an engraving of the name of the physician, the name of the special medicine or medical formula and the disease for which the medicine was to be used [1]

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1941059/

[TheSpiceIsLife]

Yes, well, like the above linked Wikipedia article says, the symbol does have an ancient and consistent association with trade, liars, and thieves.

[hunterb123]

Yes, well, that's not the point of my reply to the GP.

The point is the medical origin is older than the U.S.