Practica
Ms. medical manual, written and illustrated in South Germany, ca. 1450.
Texts: 1) Bartholomaeus of Salerno, Practica (in Middle High German translation) supplemented by subsequent popular medical writings (fols. 1-59v; 69v-100); 2) Macer Floridus, De viribus herbarum (in Middle High German translation and with versified prologue: fols. 61-69 - abbreviated form; fols. 100v-118v - longer form, headed Virtutes herbarum); fols. 120-135 comprise an index. (Curt Bühler suggests the dialect is Middle Rhenish, and that the manuscript was written between Koblenz and Bonn, towards mid century)
Decoration: 2 full-page unframed miniatures (fol. 119, personification of Ars medicinalis; fol. 119v, portrait of Hippocrates), 2 historiated initials (fols 1, 120), 4 decorated initials.
M.900 has watermarks: "Lettre P gothique à quatre feuille", Briquet group 8588-8653, closest to 8599, Rhine valley mid-15th century; and "Lettre P gothique simple", closest to Briquet 8571, same place and time.