Book 5: On the body and its parts and Book 6: On human life
Texts and Images
Book 5 addresses the subject of human anatomy and the disposition of the organs in the body. Following classical precedents, the author discusses each body part in hierarchical order, from the head to the soles of the foot. A chapter is devoted to the properties of the beard, another to the teeth, breasts, and so on. The book also contains information on urine. A lengthy text with 66 chapters, it opens with a miniature showing a physician with his patients.
Composed of 29 chapters, the following book concerns individuals and their place in society. It is based primarily on information derived from the Bible. It opens with a description of age, death, the dignity of man, and human conception based on Galen, Constantine the African and Aristotle. This is followed by information on people of various ages and occupations, including servants and masters. At the end of the book, the author addresses eating drinking, fasting, sleeping, waking, and dreaming. The leaf with the introductory miniature is missing.
Physician with patients (Book 5: On the body and its parts)
A physician, holding aloft a urine flask, is shown with five patients, including a woman with a heavily bandaged arm. Each of the ailments represented is discussed in the text.