Published when barbers saw their work increasingly competed with by professional surgeons, Malfi’s book stresses medical knowledge of barbers and their expertise in performing medical procedures. It is Illustrated with portraits of famous barbers in history, anatomical models and scenes showing surgical procedures.

The work is divided into three parts The first is concerned with the art of hairdressing, and includes chapters on the dignity of the beard (Malfi’s own consists of a large twirled mustache and a thin strip of goatee) and on the damaging and deforming effects of long hair on men, as well as descriptions of the instruments and techniques needed for hair cutting and grooming. The second chapter is dedicated to bloodletting, explaining the medical rationale behind it, and introducing basic anatomy and the location of veins and arteries. The instructions for the various procedures are detailed and practical, including advice on how to position the patient, what to do when the desired vein is difficult to raise, and how to collect the blood. The illustrations to this book range from anatomical woodcuts to engraved scenes with several figures and fully realized background landscapes.

Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.