As a profession, medicine was more highly regarded in Greece than in Rome. In Greece, physicians were basically craftsmen, probably enjoying some esteem among their customers, but not being part of the socio-political elite. Roman doctors did not fare so well. Many doctors were freed Greek slaves, hence the social standing of doctors was quite low. Because cure rates were also low, many people were skeptical or even scornful of doctors.
Roman literature contains much about the reactions of individuals to medicine and doctors.
To listen to the Roman authors is to hear tales of quackery at all levels of society. This finding could lead to new insights into the causes of unexplained infertility as well as provide important leads for developmental biologists studying how an organism progresses from a single cell to a complex organism. This is the first report in mammals that a substance produced by the mother controls the development of her offspring. The gene was discovered during the investigation of premature ovarian failure, a condition that causes infertility and hormone deficiency in otherwise healthy young women. These modified mice develop normally, yet are infertile.