Regimen sanitatis Salernitanum

Regimen sanitatis Salernitanum
Bernardinus Venetus, c.1500
MEDICINE – Regimen sanitatis Salernitanum. [Venice: Benardinus Venetus de Vitalibus, c.1500.]

The famous verse medical manual of the Schola Medica Salernitana, a Venetian reprint of the 1491 Strasbourg edition. Sometimes wrongly attributed to Arnold of Villanova, this work is linked to the legendary medical school at Salerno, where Greek, Latin, Arabic, and Hebrew medical knowledge was shared and disseminated. It may ultimately be descended from the pseudo-Aristotelian Arabic manual Sirr al-Asrar. Like all bestselling books, there are many variant editions and heavy use has made each one individually scarce. Not in the Bavarian State Library; ISTC reports only three other copies in America. C 5052; BMC(It) p. 598; IGI IV p. 356; Klebs 830.13; Sander 6388; Essling 609; Goff R-78; ISTC ir00081700.

Chancery quarto (206 x 150mm). 82 leaves. Woodcut on title (some toning and staining). Modern brown morocco. Provenance: contemporary marginalia – Biblioteca Pubblica Fiorentina (closed 1861, stamp) – “MD” (stamp) – acquired from William H. Schab, New York, 8 April 1955.