Why do doctors put the Rx symbol in their prescriptions?
The Rx symbol was originally used as an abbreviation of the Latin word recipe, which means 'receive'. It dates back to the medieval age when there were no standard doctors and drugs as we have today. Apothecaries (chemists), who often doubled up as doctors, would write out the formula for the medication and then mix the required ingredients to prepare the medicines. Doctors continue the tradition today as they instruct the pharmacist to 'receive' the list of the prescribed medicines and supply them to the patient. There is an interesting theory about the 'x' in the symbol. It is said to be the 'Eye of Horus', the falcon-headed Egyptian god of pharmacy. The eye was considered a powerful symbol of good health.
