Caduceus as a symbol of medicine worth noting that hospital stewards were not physicians; they played a supporting role preparing drugs for surgeons, supervising nurses and cooks, maintaining accounting and medical records, and in emergencies sometimes performed minor surgery or provided prescriptions. Later, in 1871, the Surgeon General designated the caduceus as the seal of the Marine Hospital Service (destined to become the U.S. Public Health Service in 1912). Gershen states that the change was for aesthetic reasons, whereas Friedlander states the caduceus was adopted by the Marine Hospital Service "because of its relationship with merchant seamen and the maritime industry". The caduceus was formally adopted
Caduceus as a symbol of medicine popularised the caduceus, whilst retaining the caduceus for its own plaque and insignia, is now part of the Army Medical Department, which has since adopted the Rod of Asclepius as its main symbol. Furthermore, when the U.S. Air Force designed new medical insignia, it also adopted the rod of Asclepius. (The Royal Air Force (UK) medical services have, however, used the caduceus as uniform collar insignia since the foundation of the RAF in 1918.) Despite widespread acceptance of the caduceus as a medical symbol in the United States, it has been observed that the rod of Asclepius has "the more