ABSTRACT

At first sight, MS.MSL.14 seems rather inconspicuous. It is a very small pocket-sized book which has obviously been handled and perused extensively. The manuscript has a clearly defined structure, with items one to seven on the first 46 pages presenting introductory material, including a substantial proportion of Pseudo-Hippocratic content. This section was probably copied in its entirety from another source. It is followed by 225 pages of therapeutic content with a substantial part of the content consisting of recipes. Overall, the therapeutic section of this manuscript caters for diverse audiences, ranging from those who would not necessarily have any medical training to skilled doctors, or pharmacists for that matter. Throughout the volume, the materia medica described is generally of a simpler nature than for instance in Galen or Paul of Aegina, but still quite varied; the samples translated are representative in that respect.