Hygiea was discovered in April 1849 by an Astronomer named Annibale de Gasparis in Italy. At that time she was in middle of Virgo just south of the ecliptic and in her heliocentric chart aspected to Ixion (lust for life) and Pallas ("problem solver", wisdom - opposing Nessus).

 

In her geocentric chart in a grand cross square with Pallas, Chariklo and Juno. 

 

When I look at all this "data", the history of use in Astrology, her "cross" and mythology I come to the conclusion, that Hygiea is more than just about medicine itself, but to keep the inner balance, equilibrium in order to live healthy and long.

As we know, our body isn't "just a thing", even so it's "mechanics" so to say, work in a wonderful synchronization.  

The mind and the emotions of course, do have a great influence and therefore such relationships need to be maintained and cared for and there need to be a "lust for life"/will to maintain such health or to "re-claim" it. In medicine the most challenging part seems to be the diagnosis and she brings the ability to actually "read the body", understands its functions and needs as well and understands the "symptoms" as a messenger.

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She's more the "maintainer" than the "healer" though - either way her holistic approach, may go much further than "health" as we commonly understand it.... 

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I think there's also the aspect of purity as well as "resilience" that come into play - on a medicinal/body level that translates to the immune system, which can't develop if it wasn't exposed before.

Yet, this "principle" can also be applied to our emotional body and the "looping" mind.... 

 

Hygiene is a theme we can also take in a broader sense - it can be about the body, the mind but also spiritual as well as the house, family, friendships or even in the industries or political themes related, if the placement or aspects indicate though....

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Greek Mythology: 

Hygiea was the daughter of Asclepius (the God of Medicine and Healing) and Epione. She got several siblings, who All in one or another form were in the "family-business". She was mainly about maintaining health through purity and cleanliness - probably here the word hygiene got its origin. The cult of Hygeia (another form of spelling) started around 600 BC and she seemed to work "together" with Athene, who stood for wisdom and purity.

 

Roman Mythology: 

In roman mythology she was named Salus.

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Some Astronomy: 

An Asteroid (suggested for "dwarf planet" category) with the number 10 - she's a little smaller than Pallas, which makes her the 4th biggest Asteroid.

She got an almost spherical shape and a rotation rate of 13,8256 hours and got an orbital period of 5.56 years.

Because of her "dark" surface, she does have a very low magnitude but high mass.

There seem to be some orbital correlations with the other Asteroids, Ceres, Vesta and Pallas - in 2056, Hygiea will pass 0.025 AU from Ceres, and then in 2063, Hygiea will pass 0.020 AU from Pallas. Further more, also an orbital "mean" correlation with Jupiter and Saturn. (Ref. Wikipedia)