The Family Tree

Home , Epione

J Epidemiol Community Health: first published as 10.1136/jech.57.6.394-a on 1 June 2003. Downloaded from 394 J Epidemiol Community Health 2003;57:394

IntroducingHygieia ...... The family tree

In Greek mythology, Asklepios was the pios, it is said, came across a snake tend- Although Asklepios was a god, there is god of healing. He was the son of the ing another, ailing snake. As he watched, a tradition in myth that he died a mortal Olympian god Apollo and a mortal the snake died, but then an amazing death. It was believed that the god of woman named Koronis. thing happened. The snake went off into healing dared to use his powers to bring According to some ancient sources, the bushes and returned a few moments a human back to life. Zeus, the ruler of Apollo’s twin sister Artemis caught the later with a herb. The snake placed the the Greek gods, reacted to this action by pregnant Koronis having an affair with herb on the dead snake, and after a short striking Asklepios with a thunderbolt. another man. Artemis punished the time, the snake revived. The new Hygieia section of the journal betrayal of her brother by killing Ko- Asklepios developed a huge following ronis. Apollo rescued the unborn child will tend to emphasise the preventive as his skills as a great healer became Koronis was carrying, but could not bear end of population health with which known. The cult of Asklepios is well to look upon the symbol of his wife’s Hygieia was associated, in contrast with adultery, so sent the child away to live documented and Hippocrates is thought Panakeia who was celebrated for thera- with the wise centaur Chiron. The child to have been a member. Asklepios had peutic achievements. http://jech.bmj.com/ was Asklepios, and over time, Chiron many children with his wife Epione, taught Asklepios the art of medicine and including Hygieia, who was seen as the M Alcock healing. protector of mortal health. Shrines were built throughout the ancient world to Public Health Team, Government Office for the Some legends also tell of a meeting North West, 18th Floor Sunley Tower, Piccadilly with two snakes that taught Asklepios Asklepios and Hygieia, where people Plaza, Manchester M1 4BE, UK; how to bring the dead back to life. Askle- would go to be healed. [email protected] on September 30, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright.

APHORISM OF THE MONTH ...... Making things happen versus watching them?

t is said that there are three types of people: people who make things happen, people who watch things happening, and people who wonder what happened. Making things happen Iis at the heart of public health practice, but so to is observation and reﬂection. A balanced public health practitioner should be neither exclusively a doer, nor observer nor analyst, the artiﬁcial dichotomy between public health practice and academic life has not served us well, we need to strive for synthesis. JRA