This manuscript formed the basis for Linnaeus's lectures on dietetics, between 1742 and 1772, when Linnaeus lectured at least 8 times on dietetics.
Linnaeus made numerous additions to his notes during this period.
According to Wikman (1970), in the middle of the 1760s, Linnaeus seems to have prepared the notes for publication. The Prolegomena was probably composed at that time, as well as the title page. On the title page, the last line are in Linnaeus's elderly hand.
The manuscript regroups many notes written at different times in Linnaeus's career. It is likely that Axel Otto Lindfors or Johan Markus Hulth (or both successively) regrouped these notes thematically.

Contents:

Folder I. Prolegomena (19 ff):

- p. 1: Title page: 'Caroli Linnaei | Med. & Botan. Profess. Upsal. | Lachesis naturalis | quae tradit | Diaetam naturalem | innixam | observationibus, et Experimentis | desumtis ex | ex | Historiis, casibus, observationibus, populus | itineribus, physiologia, therapia, physica | Zoologia | ubi omnes demonstrationes | innituntur observationibus | Philosphia Humana | Nosce te ipsum'.
With Linnaeus's seal.
- p. 3: Distributio operis
- pp. 5-8: Authores
- pp. 9-38: Prolegomena:
1. Sanitas
2. Vita
3. Mors

I.4. Aetates: regrouped in 3 sets of notes:
- paginated by Linnaeus, pp 3-9 (4 ff)
- numbered sections 15 to 34 (5 ff)
- miscellaneous notes on 'Aetates' (8 ff), includes lists and diagrams.

I. 5. Diaeta - unpaginated (7 ff)

I. 6. Natura - unpaginated (5 ff)

I.7. Structura corporis (4 ff, this section is included in Lindfors's sections, but not in the list established by Johan Markus Hulth and Arvid H. Uggla after him.)
16. Magnitudo
17. Pinguedo
Barba
Structura corporis
Pinguia
Macria

II. Regulae generales (16 ff)
7. Omne parit (1 fol)
8. Infantes figura (1 fol)
9. Infans nutriatur (3 ff)
10-11. Juventus senectatus morbus (1 fol)
12. Consuetudo (3 ff)
13. Subita mutatio (3 ff)
14. Omne nimium (1 fol)
15. Varietas delectat (3 ff)

III. Principia diatetica et res naturales

III.1. Aer: previous cataloguers have divided this section into published (Lindfors, 1907) and not published sheets.
Published (13 ff):
16. Aer general. (2 ff)
17. Ventus (1 fol)
18. Calor et frigo (2 ff)
19. Transpiratio et perspiratio (2 ff)
20. Respiratio (1 fol)
21. Attractio (1 fol)
22. Vestes (1 fol)
23. Domus (1 fol)
24. Lectus et cubile (2 ff)

Not published(16 ff):
16. Aer general. (6 ff)
18. Calor et frigus (3 ff). At the back of quarto page on Calor: 'Diatribe'. According to Arvid H. Uggla: about Professor P. N. Christiernin's pamphlet (1761) concerning paper money.
20. Respiration (1 fol)
21. Attractio (1 fol)
22. Vestes (2 ff)
23. Domus (1 fol)
Also includes Linnaeus's folder, entitled 'Aer'.

III.2 Somnus (6 ff)
25. Somnus

III.3 Motus et quies: previous cataloguers have divided this section into published (Lindfors, 1907) and not published sheets.
Published (7 ff):
26. Motus general (2 ff)
27. Aequilibrium (1 fol)
28. Gymnastica (1 fol)
29. Hodierna gymnastica (2 ff)
30. Oblectamentum (1 fol)

Not published (19 ff):
26. Motus general (4 ff)
27. Aequilibrium (1 fol)
28. Gymnastica (3 fol)
30. Oblectamentum: Peregrinatio (5 ff)
31. Balnea (3 ff). Inside the double folio was a glued slip of paper, written by Johan Markus Hulth, referring to a letter from Salvius dated 8 August 1748, which can not be located. The slip is now in Collection History.
32. Morbi artificum (3 ff)

III.4 Ingesta
33. general (3 ff; not published, unknown to Lindfors)
III.4.1. Potus et bibus (34 ff; not published, unknown to Lindfors)
34. Potus in general (1 fol)
35. Aqua (2 ff)
36. de spiritibus in genere (5 ff)
37. Dulcioli poti (3 ff). On the verso of 'Sidra' is written 'In pleno Concessu Regiae Societatis Scientiarum MDCCLXI die'.
38. Vinum (5 ff)
39. Spiritus vini (3 ff)
40. Cervisia (5 ff)
41. Thea, coffea, cacao (6 ff). The date 1763 is mentioned under 'thea'.
42. Tabacum (4 ff)

III.4.2 Cibus (33 ff)
sections 43 to 52 are enclosed in Linnaeus's wrapper with the title 'Cibus'
43. Fames - general (2 ff)
44. Luxus (7 ff)
45. Vasa et praeparata (3 ff)
46. Sal (2 ff)
47. Acetum (2 ff)
48. Saccharum, etc. (2 ff)
49. Butyrum, oleum, etc. (1 fol)
50. Lac (4 ff)
51. Polyphagia (2 ff)
52. Panis (6 ff)
53. Vegetabiliae esculentae, phytophagia (27 ff): in Linnaeus's own folder entitled 'Esculentae'. Includes various drafts written at different periods, lists, paragraphs that have been crossed out etc. One set is paginated (by Linnaeus) from p. 5 to p. 19. Another draft has numbered sections from 1. Rapa to 156. Lupulus. Other loose sheets are headed 'Bulbi', 'Aromata'.
54. Sarcophagi. Animalium carnes (14 ff; not published). Also contains various drafts and notes: a list numbered 1 to 21; list of body parts of animals that can be eaten; numbered list of birds ('Aves'); notes on 'Carnes', 'Sanguis', 'Quadrupedia', 'Aves' and 'Pisces'.
55. Venenata et toxica (4 ff)

III.5 Excreta et retenta (28 ff)
[From this point, Johan Markus Hulth - and Arvid H. Uggla after him - stopped renumbering Lindfors's sections.]
- Evacuantia (7 ff). Notes on excretions, including general notes on excretions, followed by 'Alvus', 'Vomitus', 'Saliva', 'Urina', 'Sudor', 'Menstrua', 'Hemorrhoides', 'Venae section', and 'Exanthemata'
- 'Venus', in Linnaeus's folder (21 ff), includes notes on 'Venus', 'Conjugium', etc.

III.6 Sensus et animi
III.6.1 Sensus externi (13 ff, foliated in green ink, 1 to 13; not published)
In Linnaeus's folder, entitled 'Sensus'
f. 2: Sensus
f. 3-5: Olfactus
f. 6: Auditus
f. 7-9: Visus
f. 10: Tactus
f. 11: Gustus
f. 13v: notes on I. Collin and a cure to a big toe, dated 1765.

III.6.2 Animi pathemata et affectus (61 ff).
Two folders with this title existed, which have been put together. The first one is foliated in green ink (following on from Sensus) and distinguishes between published, not published, and 'Mores' - these division have been kept. The other one, consisting of 29 ff, seems to have been part of the manuscript which was kept in Uppsala, and brought back to the Linnean Society in September 1768. It was foliated, probably by Carl-Otto von Sydow.
Published (partially) (5 ff):
f. 14: Conversatio
f. 15: Studia, Ingenium
f. 16: Historia, Histrionia mundi, Persuasio
f. 17: Opinio
f. 18: Mores

Not published (7 ff):
f. 19-21r: Affectus
f. 21v-23: Laetitia
f. 24: Cogitatio (numbered list)
f. 25: Notes on Sophocles from (1728?). Doodle of man on verso (self-portrait?)

Mores (20 ff):
f. 26: Mores
f. 27-31: notes on customs in other religions: Judaism, Catholicism, Muslim
f. 32-37: Nuptiae
f. 38: Sepulchra
f. 39-41: notes on genera
f. 42: Labores
f. 43: Hortus
f. 44-46: Oeconomia

(29 ff)
f. 1: Animus
f. 2:Bene facere et laetari
f. 3-4: Vanitas
f. 5: Carmina
f. 6-7: Fascinum
f. 8: Fatum
f. 9: Idiosyncrasia
f. 10-11: Idolatria
f. 12: Interrogativa et redditiva
f. 13: Magia
f. 14-15: Mundus hic optimus. On f. 15, little drawing of the succession of professors of Uppsala. The drawing is entitled 'Professores upsalienses 1741. ? secundum numeros unus cincter(?) singulo anno'. Around a circle are names of past and present professors of the University of Uppsala, much like a seating plan. Each professor is attributed a symbol, contemporaneous professors sharing the same symbol. Professors listed are (clockwise from bottom): P. Julan, Ihre, Matheasius, A. Celsius, Boberus, Gronwal, Beronius, Asp, Winbom, E. Melander, O. Celsius, D. Solander, A. Berch, N. Rosen, C. Linnaeus, E. Frondin, Klingenstrem, P. Ullen, Eckerman, A. Arhenius.
In the table is written: 'unus post alterum tandem succedimus omnes': one after the other we eventually follow everyone.
Next to two of them are dates: next to P. Ullen is the date 22 V 1747; next to A. Arhenius 1743.
f. 16-17: Spectra
f. 18: Sympatia
f. 19-21: Superstitio
f. 22-28: Theologia
f. 29: Virtus

IV. Epilegomena (8ff)
- quarto sheet with diagram, with 'aer', 'cibus', 'somnus', 'excrementa', 'pathos' (?)
- quarto folded sheet, not in Linnaeus's hand, on 'Diaeta'. Carl-Otto von Sidow has written: 'Låg sist i muslaget(?) "5. Diaeta" 22.4.74'.
- double folio sheet on 'Tranquillitas'
- folio sheet on 'Cognitio sui'