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Rx Symbol


Have you ever wondered why medicines are denoted with an ℞ or Rx symbol? There are actually many theories about its origin but the most common one is that the symbol for prescriptions originated from the "Eye of Horus", which was an ancient Egyptian symbol associated with healing powers. According to Egyptian mythology, Horus lost his eye in battle but his mom used her powers to restore his eye, hence it became a symbol of healing. 

Eye of Horus

In the 2nd century, Greek physician Galen adapted this symbol to impress his patients. Galen’s influence on medicine was so strong that even the symbol was borrowed through the centuries and it eventually evolved into the modern symbol Rx (the eye of Horus kinda looks like an Rx).

Other theories place its origin in Latin and Roman times. One theory is that Rx was used as an abbreviation of the Latin word recipere, meaning “to prepare,” which physicians wrote on medical prescriptions. Yet another theory points to the similarity of the Rx symbol to the symbol for Jupiter, the Roman god.

Jupiter's symbol

Some folks believe that the Roman physicians wrote the Jupiter’s symbol on prescriptions as a prayer for the patient, while others think it might have been used to defy Christianity. Whatever the case, it is believed Jupiter’s symbol eventually morphed into the modern symbol of ℞.

While all three theories sound plausible, I personally find the first one most interesting and so I choose to believe that one. The truth is probably a combination of some or all of the theories.

Comparison of Eye of Horus, Jupiter and Rx prescription symbols

Whatever its origin, the ℞ symbol was used until around the 18th century, which then evolved to the modern letters Rx denoting the verb "take." A prescription reading "Rx two advils" means "take two advils." 


Sources:

https://www.history.com/news/where-did-the-rx-symbol-come-from
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Rx 

 


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