MS 168 is a 14th-century copy of Rosa medicinae (also known by the name Rosa anglica) by English physician John Gaddesden, written c. 1313. Gaddesden trained as a doctor at Oxford between 1307-1316, and embarked on a successful career as the first major medieval medical scholar to have trained entirely in England. An indication of his reputation, he seems to have treated a son of Edward I of England for smallpox (perhaps Thomas of Brotherton). Gaddesden seemingly composed his medical text during his days at Oxford. It is a work of its time, in that Gaddesden filled his text with citations from Galen and the early medieval Arabic writers who carried forward and added to ancient Greek medical knowledge. Gaddesden also seems to have taken inspiration from his contemporaries on the Continent, specifically at the medical school of Montpellier. The name 'Rosa medicinae' perhaps was inspired by the title of a text from Montpellier from 1303.

Gaddesden's text begins with fevers (based on Galen), and then outlines ailments of the body beginning with the head. The final part of the five-book text covers remedies for diseases.

The Rosa medicinae begins on f. 1r with Galienus primo de ingenio sani[tatis].... Book I ends on f. 47v. Book II is contained on ff. 47v-186r, Book III on ff. 186v-253v. Book IV is on ff. 253v-295v, and Book V appears on ff. 296r-297v. The text of the Rosa medicinae ends (with Book V), on f. 297v with the words per subtilitatem aquae dulcis ibi continetur etc. Explicit Rosa medicine.

The final leaves of MS 168 are by different, later (and larger) hands. The contents include a 'Tabula rosa medicine' on ff. 298r-304v(perhaps 14th-century). Ff. 305r-310r features an unnamed text (perhaps some version of 'De Vinis' by Arnald of Villanova?) that begins with Cum instat tempus in quo melia solent confici, and ends mid-sentence on f. 310r with quoniam placet utra monacho [?] mane et. Ff. 310v-318r seems to contain recipes and charms, roughly written, by several 15th and 16th-century hands.

A well-written manuscript in black ink.

Contains blue and red filigree initials and a few illuminated initials in blue, lake, and gold. Margins are cropped.