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Rx A Recipe For…

Have you ever wondered where the Rx symbol for prescriptions and pharmacies comes from? Over the centuries, since the first uses of the symbol, doctors, druggists, pharmacists, and patients have studied and proposed many possible derivations.

According to Remington’s Pharmaceutical Sciences1, the Rx symbol is generally understood to be a contraction of the Latin verb recipe, meaning, “take thou” or “you take”.

Some historians believe this symbol originated from the sign of Jupiter, employed by the ancients in requesting aid in healing. Gradual distortion over the years has led to the symbol currently used.

Historically, most doctors headed their prescriptions with the Rx symbol. This is demonstrated in the pictures of prescriptions in the diagram showing:

    1. a. a prescription for four drugs written in 1390;
    2. a prescription for an emetic drug written about 1780, and
    3. a prescription written in 1993.2,3

    The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Amsterdam on its Website - Pharmacotherapy discusses several theories on the origin of Rx. They believe that the Egyptian eye hieroglyph may have been introduced into Roman medicine, and, over time, distorted into the Latin “R” with a stroke through the foot, leading ultimately to the Rx symbol we use today. Its first application in Europe is believed to be by Claudius Galenus (130-201), the court physician of Marcus Aurelius.4

     

     

    Drawing 1 in the diagram is the Eye of Horus, the falcon-headed god of the Egyptians.8 According to Egyptian mythology, Horus loses his eye in his fight with his wicked uncle Seth while avenging the murder of his father Osiris. Toth, the god of Wisdom and Magic, restored the eye, and Horus gave the eye to his father, saving his life. It became the symbol of all good and holy things, in a sound and un-damaged condition.

    When Horus was named God of Healing, his eye became the amulet for health. When treating the sick and preparing drugs Egyptian priests evoked the god Horus using these amulets.5, 7

    The Pharmacy Program at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania detail an interesting variation on this theme in support of the theory of evolution from the eye of Horus to today’s Rx symbol.9

    Drawing 2 shows how parts of the eye were used to write down weights and cubic measures for (amongst others) preparing drugs. Usually the corn measure of 320 ro [ca 5 litres] was used. ½ = 160 ro, ¼ = 80 ro; 1/64 = 5 ro.6

    Drawing 3 shows eye hieroglyphs taken from specimens of old Egyptian (hieratic) writing from the 12th dynasty (1991-1786 BC). It was pronounced as “iri,” meaning, “make”, “do”, “act”, or “acquire”.4

    Drawing 4 refers to the first letter of the Latin words recuperatio meaning, “help”, “recovery”, “healing” and recipe, which means “do” or “take”.2 This theory of the origin of Rx supports that of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science.

    And finally, in drawing 5, the Roman “R” is believed to be a deformation of the Jupiter sign, used in alchemy and astrology.2 This supports the theory that the Jupiter sign is the origin of the Rx symbol, rather than the Egyptian eye hieroglyph.

    Regardless of its origin, it appears that religious feelings were often being expressed symbolically when prescriptions were being written - an evocation to ask assistance so that the prescribed drug would produce the desired results in healing the sick.

    Today, the Rx symbol is representative of both the prescription and of pharmacy itself.

    Claudia Roberts
    First published in The Inside Tract® Newsletter Issue 138 July/August 2003

    References:

     

    1. Remington’s Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, 18th Ed., 1990
    2. Bos-Jelgersma HA (1983). Poeders, Pillen en Patiënten, Luiting/Sijthoff, Utrecht, 94-5
    3. Arts en Auto (1987) vol.53, 1365 (a) 4  Gardiner, A. (1957) Egyptian Grammar, being an Introduction to the Study of Hieroglyphs, 3d ed
    4. Calder R. The Life Savers (quoted in Repertorium Farmaceutische Specialités 1984, Nefarma, Utrecht, 3)
    5. Wetendorf W (1992). Erwachen der Heilkunst; Die medizin in Alten Ägypten, Artemis & Winkler, Zürich, 261
    6. Baarn ThP van (1963), Mensen tussen Nijl en Zon, Zeist/Antwerpen, 48
    7. University of Amsterdam, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacotherapy Website
    8. Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, Pharmacy Program Website