In the centre stands a physician representing Medicine. He wears academic dress, and his gown is composed of some of the ancient and medieval books in which traditional western medicine has been transmitted. They include works by the ancient Greek authors Hippocrates and Galen, the Byzantine Paul of Aegina, the Arabic authors whose western names are Avicenna and Haly Rodoan, and the western medieval authors Bernard of Gordon, Arnold of Villanova, and the modern preserver of medieval knowledge Laurent Joubert. Bolstered by his learning, which ranges over the whole spectrum of subjects relevant to medicine, the physician gives instructions to two subordinate figures whose qualifications cover a narrower range. On the left is the apothecary, composed of items of pharmaceutical equipment.