Tacuinum sanitatis

The Tacuinum (sometimes Taccuinum) Sanitatis^[1] is a medieval handbook mainly on health. It is based on the Taqwim al‑sihha تقويم الصحة ("Maintenance of Health"), an eleventh-century Arab work an health by Ibn Butlan of Baghdad.^[2] The text exists in several variant Latin versions.

It describes in detail the beneficial and harmful properties of foods and plants. It explains the six essential elements for well-being:

• sufficient food and drink in moderation,
• fresh air,
• alternations of activity and rest,
• alternations of sleep and wakefulness,
• secretions and excretions of humours, and finally
• the effects of states of mind.

Tacuinum Sanitatis says that illnesses result from imbalance of these elements.

• Tacuinum Sanitatis site on the M. Moleiro Editor website
• The Tacuinum Sanitatis in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
• Introductory text (Spanish) and some illustrations

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