The Freemasons are one of the oldest and most well-known societies in the world. The have been the subject of numerous conspiracy theories throughout the years. Freemasonry evolved from the guilds of stonemasons and cathedral builders of the Middle Ages. Famous members of the society included Mozart, George Washington, Mark Twain, Winston Churchill and Franklin D Roosevelt.

Freemasons were once in great demand, and because of that they often took jobs that paid more than the market rate, according to the author Jasper Ridley. The first meeting of freemasons was held in an alehouse called Goose and Gridiron in the City of London. The many freemasons friends with whom I am in communication are fully in praise of a brotherhood that serves the people. However, not one of them has ever disclosed to me the rituals that they have to observe loose talk carry severe penalties.

Charity is one of the main tenets of Freemasonry. In the US alone, Freemasons collectively contribute millions of dollars every single day to charitable causes, including medical causes. During the First World War, the Freemasons built a hospital in the UK that treated more than 4,000 servicemen. When it outgrew its premises, a new hospital, called the Royal Masonic Hospital, was opened by King George V and Queen Mary. The architect, Thomas S Tait, was awarded a RIBA gold medal for his work in 1933.

The secret Kappa Lambda Society of Hippocrates, which existed in Lexington, Kentucky, during the first half of the 19th Century is also interesting. It was created for students of the Transylvania Universitys medical department. It promoted a code of ethics amongst doctors. Scottsdale, Arizona, is home to another secret medical society. Its membership is by invitation only; members trade secrets about automated ambulatory systems and hospitals call centres.

Medical symbols have been around as long as medicines. An excellent article by Anil Shetty et al in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research discusses medical symbols in practice. The Caduceus, or the Staff of Hermes astick entwined by two snakes and surmounted wings is the symbol of modern medicine in India and elsewhere. Hermes is the Greek god of wealth, luck and fertility, and is the patron god of the shepherd.

People associate the red cross which is the symbol of the International Red Cross Society with doctors. In actuality, the Rod of Asclepius, the god of medicine, should be our emblem. Asclepius was the son of Apollo (God of Light) and the sun. He is represented by a single serpent entwined around a staff. Anil Shettys article reveals that only 6 per cent of doctors are aware of the real symbol, the Rod of Asclepius. The UKs Royal College of Physicians has a coat of arms. It depicts a hand feeling a pulse and another hand descending from the heavens, indicating divine authority. It also has a pomegranate, the fruit of fertility and regeneration. It was chosen as a symbol because of its association with Henry the VIIIths first wife, Catherine of Aragon.

Secret societies raise interest because they are full of intrigue and excitement. Which one of us as a child, especially after reading Enid Blytons, The Secret Seven, has not tried or wished to belong to such a society. Much of medicine, a science full of mystery, is punctuated by anecdotes of such societies and interesting symbolism.

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Secret societies and symbolism in medicine - Mumbai Mirror