What is the significance of the red and white of the barber pole?
The red and white striped barber pole remains in general use although few realize its original significance. It is centuries old and an importation from Europe. Its significance is that the barber of medieval days was also the surgeon, or “blood letter.” Blood-letting was a common treatment for almost any ill. The red stripes denoted the blood; the white, the barber’s bandage.
