icians were not always thought of as coming from the right social bracket. “In a society such as the Roman Empire, where landed wealth and the ability to enjoy a life of ease and honour…were the marks of a true aristocrat, any connection with medicine was to some extent demeaning” (Nutton, 39). This statement tells us that the physician was not of incredibly high status in the ancient society. Some may have become very rich but medicine was not as respected a subject as it became in later centuries. In these later centuries “payment” was starting to become more of a set sum for doctors (Rawcliffe 65). Yet with many lower class patients “payment” still could be a variety of items. In a sense healing was becoming more of a trade than a service. The doctors in this later medieval time period traded their services for food, shelter and perhaps other services. But before this time in the writings of Galen and Hippocrates “payment” was not always received and those who were doctors were not in it just for the money. Doctors in ancient times seemed to care more about their patients and their relationship with them, it was not all about how much money they could get or what they would receive for healing each person. This is what it had become in 14th and 15th centuries. Even in the 12th century we find healing as a free service, first to the poor and then to anyone who was in need (Miller, 719). It is also evident that becoming a doctor in ancient times was not a way to make a lot of money; it was at best a “minimum wage” job. So, the methods of payment have changed from the time of ancient Rome through the 14th and 15th centuries. At first ancient people were willing to heal their friends and neighbors for very small fees in various forms, then as we move through time people started paying for services of healing. As the relationship between the patient...
