Apocryphal works restored to their true authors:

  1. Tabulae quae medicum informant (“Tables to inform the physician”) by Stephanus Arlandi: a schematic compilation of medicines and foods that physicians can administer before reaching the definitive diagnosis.  
  2. De signis leprae (“On the signs of leprosy”): the second part of a Summa de lepra by Iordanus de Turre.
  3. De pronosticatione somniorum (“On dream divination”): a treatise on oneiromancy by William of Aragon.
  4. Tractatus contra calculum (“Treatise against calculus”) = Liber Manus Dei contra calculosum languorem of Galvano da Levanto, a monograph on gallstones.
  5. Regimen contra catarrum (“Regimen against catarrh”) = Remedium salutare contra catarrum of Galvano da Levanto, about the catarrh.
  6. De tremore cordis (“On heart tremors”) =  Carisma sanativum tremoris cordis of Galvano da Levanto, a monograph on heart tremors.
  7. De epilentia (“On epilepsy”) =  Liber Salvatoris contra morbum caducum of Galvano da Levanto, a monograph on epilepsy.
  8. Epistola de retardatione accidentium senectutis (“Epistle on how the delay the symptoms of ageing”).
  9. Liber de conservatione iuventutis (“Book on the conservation of youth”): This book and the previous one gave Arnau widespread apocryphal fame as an expert at delaying the effects of ageing, but its authorship can be traced back to one “dominus castri Gret / Goet”.
  10. Commentum super Regimen sanitatis Salernitanum (“Commentary on the Salernitan Rule of Health“): a celebrated poem to preserve the health from the Schola Medica Salernitana, probably written by Joannes Inchy.
  11. Summa medicinae (“Sum of medicine”): compendium of theoretical and practical medicine probably written by Hugh of Montpellier.
  12. De physicis ligaturis (“On the natural ligatures”): the Latin version that several manuscripts attribute to Arnau from a book by Costa ben Luca on natural magic resources. Its real translator was Constantine the African.
  13. De coitu (“On coitus”): Constantine the African’s version of a leaflet by Ibn al-Jazzar.
  14. Remedia contra maleficia (“Remedies against curses”): a compilation of remedies against impotence and sterility made up of a chapter of the Pantegni by ibn ‘Al-‘Abbas, translated by Constantine the African, and several prescriptions from Pedro Hispano’sThesaurus pauperum.
  15. Siensa de destrar (“Science of measuring”),
  16. Siensa d’atermenar (“Science of surveying”): This and the previous work are two treatises on surveying in Occitan by Bertran Boisset which the author placed under Arnau’s authority.
  17. Liber experimentorum (“Book of experiences”): This is a compilation in Occitan of magical operations, medical astrology and alchemy which its likely author, Guilhem de Perissa, attributed to Arnau, whose secretary in Naples he had claimed to be.

Apocryphal works with uncertain authorship

  1. Breviarium practicae (“Breviary of practice”): This is an extensive compendium of medical practice which, along with materials by ancient or Arab authorities, includes empirical practices. Despite the fame it brought to Arnau de Vilanova, the author must have been a Neapolitan contemporary of his.
  2. De cautelis medicorum (“On the cautions of physicians”): This is a series of texts of diverse origins on the examination of urine and medical deontology.
  3. De sterilitate (“On sterility”): attributed to Arnau, among other authors, this actually derives from Bernat de Gordon’s Lilium medicinae.
  4. De conceptu (“On conception”): The apocryphal nature of this work can be seen in the diversity of authors it uses and its lack of scruples when copying numerous passages from Bernat de Gordon’s Lilium medicinae.
  5. De ornatu mulierum (“On the adornment of women”): Recipes for cosmetics mixed with hygiene and seduction tips.
  6. De decoratione (“On beautification”): Brief treatise on cosmetics and cleanliness.
  7. Tractatus de phlebotomia (“Treatise on phlebotomy”): This studies the causes of bleeding, the veins where it should be done, and the influence of the Moon and the zodiac signs that should be borne in mind when doing a phlebotomy.
  8. De phlebotomia (“On phlebotomy”):This is a brief text that primarily discusses the best time to bleed a patient and lists the veins where it should be done. It is actually the outcome of the fusion of early mediaeval materials. Other versions were attributed to Bede and Pedro Hispano.
  9. De bonitate memorie (“On good memory”): This is a compilation of the precepts for retaining the memory in good condition. Its central part is a reshaping of Arnau’s Aphorismi de memoria.
  10. Questiones super Libello de malitia complexionis diverse (“Questions on the book on the imbalanced pathological constitution”): This is eighteen questions more or less closely related to Galen’s De malitia complexionis diverse which follow a strictly scholastic format. In addition to this not very Arnaldian formalism, we are aware of no manuscript that could support its authenticity.
  11. De duodecim imaginibus Hermetis (“On the twelve images of Hermes”) prescribes engraving the figures of the signs in twelve images in order to heal the corresponding members.
  12. Documentum contra lapidem (“Document against stones”) focuses on a seal of Leo against gallstones.
  13. Tractatus de virtutibus herbarum (“Treatise on the virtues of plants”): This is a description of 150 plants from Germany followed by a compilation of several herbaries and mediaeval medical treatises, which include ingredients with plant, animal and mineral origins.
  14. Translation of De lege (“On law”) of Hippocrates, regarding the conditions that a physician should have: natural talent, good training, intense and long dedication. The version was executed from Greek, which excludes Arnau as a translator, although he cites it in the Antidotarium. Two manuscripts from the 15th century attribute it to Arnau, another dated in 1314 (in Naples) to Niccolò da Reggio and the others are anonymous. However, according to Stefania Fortuna’s hypothesis, grounded on stylistic reasons and textual tradition, the translator might be Bartolomeo da Messina. Alternatively, Michael McVaugh, basing on historical facts, finds plausible that the translator was Niccolò da Reggio.
Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum
Illustration: Edition of Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum, with the commentary falsely attributed to Arnau de Vilanova by a publishing error. Printed repeatedly for three centuries, this gave him widespread, lasting fame. Source: Wikimedia.