Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Medicus

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

MED'ICUS (ἰατρός). A medical man , like our word "doctor," or "general practitioner," applied to those who practise both branches of the healing art, surgery as well as medicine. (Plaut. Men. v. 3. 6. Cic. Cluent. 21. Plin. H. N. xxix. 6. Suet. Cal. 8. Nero, 2.) From these passages we also learn that generally the medicus of Rome was a foreigner, who gained a livelihood by attending all persons choosing to employ him; or a slave kept by wealthy individuals as an apothecary to the household, whose services were not accessible to the public.

2. The same title was also given to veterinaries and cattle doctors; a class of professionals who divided themselves into many branches, each confining itself to studying the diseases of a separate race of animals, after which the practitioner took his characteristic appellation; as medicus equarius; mulo-medicus; medicus pecorum, &c. Val. Max. ix. 15. 2. Veget. i. Praef. 6. Varro, R. R. ii. 7. 16.