180 REGIMEN SANITATIS SALERNITANUM. 



Salernic physicians. At his request, they prepared a series of aphor- 

 isms, which may be divided into prophylactic and therapeutic. These 

 constitute the Regimen Sanitatis, or Flos Medicinae, the compilation of 

 which is generally ascribed, after Haller and Eloy, to one John, of Mi- 

 lan. Pougens says positively that it is the production of this person, 

 "alors Medecin fameux et professeur dans cette Faculte," No men- 

 tion of this name, however, can be found in any idocuraent older than 

 1418, and Arnoldus de Villa Nova, who wrote his commentaries prior 

 to 1363 makes no allusion to him. The physician John, who is men- 

 tioned as a pupil of Constantine, appears to have left Salerno prior to 

 Robert's visit, so that the whole subject remains in doubt. 



The text considered most correct is that given us by Arnoldus de 

 Villa Nova, which contains 363 verses. Others have taken the liberty 

 of adding aphorisms of their own to the original, so that its value to 

 the antiquarian becomes nearly lost. Pougens asserts, on what author- 

 ity I know not, that the original contained 1239 verses. This edition 

 contains 474, many of which are the production of his countryman, 

 Levacher. The character of these may be inferred from the following 

 HomcBopathic proposition, which makes M. Levacher, if he be its au- 

 thor, a fair subject for Father Mathew's benevolent labors. 



* Si nocturna tibi noceat potatio vini, 



Matutina hora rebibas, et erit medicina. 



This sentiment is too strong even for M. Pougens, who regards it 

 as rather a plaisanicrie than a piece of good advice. He nevertheless 

 is loud in his praises of good wine, permits it to be taken after a full 

 repast, and quotes Ovid as authority for using it to "• drive away dull 

 care" and procure moments of pleasuie, — sentiments not consistent 

 with the didactic dignity of the Schola Salerni. 



Much of the Piegimen relates to articles of food, condiments, escu- 

 lent and medicinal herbs, bathing, cleanliness and blood-letting. I will 

 quote but one aphorism, which is well worth remembering. 



Si tibi deficiant medici, medici tibi fiant 

 Haec tria, mens leeta, requies, moderata diaeta. 



Some of the copies put the comma after moderata, which has puz- 

 zled the commentators considerably. The amended form of Lombard, 

 who endeavored to render the poem classically accurate, reads as fol- 

 lows : 



Si desint medici hos canones servare memento, 

 Praestantis medici poterunt qui raunere fungi. 

 Mens sit Iseta, quies, mediocris regula victus. 



