527 



killed by the experiment.* It is a curious example of the 

 kind of practice employed by the slave physicians. 



" There can be no doubt that Rome and Greece abounded 

 in these humble practitioners ; and although the healing art 

 was, in this respect, a servile occupation, it was held in high 

 estimation. Plutarch's encomium on it was, that ' it is second 

 to none of the other liberal arts in wealth, splendour, or enjoy- 

 ment ; it liberally bestows on its cultivators good health and 

 a sound constitution.' M. Cato respected physic but despised 

 physicians, and did not employ them ; he wrote a medical 

 treatise for his family, and treated their diseases liimself. 



" But, beside these slaves, we find Greek and Roman phy- 

 sicians mentioned in ancient history, who certainly had never 

 been of the servile class, and who maintained the highest rank 

 as citizens. Pliny has given an account of a succession of 

 physicians who practised in Rome, but he never once alludes 

 to their having been slaves ; although the abhorrence in which 

 he held the medical tribe would certainly have induced him 

 to say anything to their disparagement that truth warranted. 

 The regular physicians were of such rank in their profession, 

 that they derived considerable incomes from their practice ; 

 sonae were entitled to draw from the public exchequer annu- 

 ally to the amount of 250,000 sesterces, or £2010 of our 

 money. Quintus Stertinius, a physician, complained of the 

 emperors whom he served, for allowing him but 500,000 ses- 

 terces, or £4020 a year, while he received from jnuvate indi- 

 viduals in the city, who retained him as their medical adviser, 

 600,000 sesterces, or £5824 per annum. His brother re- 

 ceived a similar sum from Claudius Ca;sar. The two brothers 

 bequeathed to their heirs no less than 30,000,000 sesterces, 

 or £291,200. A physician named Charmis stipulated, for 



• In order to convince Musa (says Die Cassius) that he had arrogated to 

 himself what was the work of fortune and fate. It was thought by some that 

 Marccllus was poisoned. 



