something stiffened, in his spine he felt the first tast of the ultra violet juices and he wondered if he would last until the clock struck twelve at

Ophiuchus had an Arabic title le Psylle, and the constellation is also said to be identified with the Psylli of Libya, Herodotus mentions the Psylli, a tribe of snake-charmers in North Africa. The word resembles the Latin word psylla, psyllius, Greek psullion, meaning a flea. Fleas are bloodsucking insects and doctors were called leeches. Latin word psylla is related to Latin pulex, the genus of fleas, genitive pulicis, 'flea', cognate with the color puce or peuce, perhaps because of the purplish color of the flea's engorged blood, and puceron, plant lice.

The name Asklepios is suggested to have been derived from (a)spalax, 'blind rat mole', a truly blind mole. According to Allen [Star Names] "the figure also was associated with Caecius, the Blinding One, slain by Hercules and celebrated by Dante in the Inferno":

  "Asklepiades: Also 'Asklepieian/Asklepeian drug', but 'Asklepepian temple'. Also Asklepiadai, the doctors, from Asklepios. He [derived his name] from keeping bodies tough (askele) and gentle (epia). Asklepios, the patron of medicine, could heal Pauson and Iros and any other hopeless case" [Suidas s.v. Asklepiades 2]

Medicine comes from the same root as Medusa, whose severed head Perseus carries, the star Algol represents her. The name of the sorceress and drug-brewer Medea also comes from this root. The blood that flowed on Medusa's left side was said to be fatal poison. The blood from her right side was beneficial. Asclepius used her blood to heal which might mean he used medicine to heal.

Caesius, a Christian astronomer, gave the title Aaron to Ophiuchus. Aaron, whose staff became a serpent:

  "Aaron threw down his staff in front of Pharaoh and his court, and it turned into a serpent". Exodus 7:12

Charmers often supplement their performances with juggling, sleight of hand, and other tricks. One occasional feat is "turning a rod into a serpent", a trick that has been known since Biblical times (see Exodus 7:12). This is reportedly accomplished by putting pressure on a particular nerve behind the snake's head, which causes it to stiffen up [3].