医術の祖と呼ばれる男が携えていた杖。

彼は蛇と共に治療を行ったと伝えられている。
それが何を意味するのかは実のところ定かではない。
ただのペットだったのか、何らかの形で治療に用いたのか、あるいは脱皮を繰り返す姿に象徴される不死性、
魔術的意味を必要としたのか？

無論、この杖に巻き付いている『蛇』が何なのかも不明である。
生物なのか、人工物なのか。
あるいはギリシャの神々に由来する、何らかの―――

本人に聞いてみた。
「ああ？　うるさい患者だ。おまえたちがすべきはただ
　医者を信じること。治療について『その薬は何だ』と
　か『なぜそんなことをするんだ』とか聞くことではな
　い。鬱陶しい。時間の無駄で、治療の邪魔だ。だから
　大人しく……なに？　説明義務……インフォームド・
　コンセント？　……面倒な世の中になったな」

The rod held by the man considered to be the progenitor of the art of medicine. He is said to have treated patients with a serpent by his side. Why he did this remains unclear. Was the snake just a pet? Or was it used in some sort of treatment? Or was the fact of its continuous molting meant to symbolize immortality for some manner of magecraft?

Obviously, none can explain the serpent entwined around the cane. Is it a living creature, or something artificial? Or could it be something derived from the Greek gods?

We asked him.

"Huh? That's a pointless question. All patients have to do is to trust their doctor. Asking questions like, 'what is this medicine?' and 'why are you doing that?' is futile, even infuriating. It's a waste of time, and it gets in the way of treatment. That's why you just need to obediently... What's that? A doctor is obliged to explain? Informed consent? The modern world sure has become annoying."