[PW] Re: "x" in Rx (prescription)

[Sea Wasp]

Jeanne Schramm wrote:
>     The patron here is my mother.  She is wondering what the "x" in "Rx"
> stands for. She asked her pharmacist and he has no idea.  I have found lots
> of opinions, but I would like to get something from an authoritative source.
> The main opinions surrounding Rx seem to focus on: 1. Latin for recipe, 2.
> Corruption of the symbol for the Eye of Horus, the Egyptian symbol of
> healing and good fortune,   3. Corruption of the ancient symbol for the
> Roman god, Jupiter.

	According to my father, a pharmacologist and a professor at Albany 
College of Pharmacy, the RX came from the latin for "Take Thou", as in 
"Take thou three of these", which is in fact the root of "recipe". 
(the "x", I believe, is from the letter they used for "c").




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