11-21-2004, 09:55 AM
The Roman understanding of public health was certainly impressive (though it tends to get somewhat overestimated - a lot of their waterworks were luxury projects for civic prestige). However, what we understand as a health care system was rather limited in development.<br>
<br>
- In Rome (as well as several other locations), the temple of Aesculapius (Asklepios) served as a collecting point for the sick where they found shelter and kind souls offered what help they could. There was no dedicated medical staff that I know of, but doctors were available on a fee basis at Asklepeia, and IIRC Claudius passed a law forbidding slaves who were deposited there to die to be reclaimed in the event of recovery, so it was not just somewhere to crawl and die.<br>
<br>
- Cities in the Greek East sometimes retained a 'public doctor' who was required to serve the citizenry either for free or (mnore usually) for a set fee structure. The position came with a stipend iontended to encourage iots holder to stay in the city. This may have been more informed by the desire to have a doctor in town at all than to give the poor access to his services.<br>
<br>
- In Late Antiquity, we find something called an 'archiatros' (loosely translated as 'arch-doctor' and the etymological source of the German 'Arzt'). The functions are pretty unclear, but this seems to indicate some kind of supervisory function.<br>
<br>
- I would assume that veterans had access, to some degree, to the medical services of the army. I have no proof for this whatsoever, it is a guess, but the close connection between serving and former soldiers makes it likely to me. <p></p><i></i>
<br>
- In Rome (as well as several other locations), the temple of Aesculapius (Asklepios) served as a collecting point for the sick where they found shelter and kind souls offered what help they could. There was no dedicated medical staff that I know of, but doctors were available on a fee basis at Asklepeia, and IIRC Claudius passed a law forbidding slaves who were deposited there to die to be reclaimed in the event of recovery, so it was not just somewhere to crawl and die.<br>
<br>
- Cities in the Greek East sometimes retained a 'public doctor' who was required to serve the citizenry either for free or (mnore usually) for a set fee structure. The position came with a stipend iontended to encourage iots holder to stay in the city. This may have been more informed by the desire to have a doctor in town at all than to give the poor access to his services.<br>
<br>
- In Late Antiquity, we find something called an 'archiatros' (loosely translated as 'arch-doctor' and the etymological source of the German 'Arzt'). The functions are pretty unclear, but this seems to indicate some kind of supervisory function.<br>
<br>
- I would assume that veterans had access, to some degree, to the medical services of the army. I have no proof for this whatsoever, it is a guess, but the close connection between serving and former soldiers makes it likely to me. <p></p><i></i>
Der Kessel ist voll Bärks!
Volker Bach
Volker Bach
