NAT. ORDER — LILIACE.E. -^3 



norlh of Africa. It is cultivated in Italy, Sicily, Malta, and {specially 

 in the AVest Indies, where it contributes largely to furnish the Barba- 

 does Aloes. The U. S. Dispensatory, in its description of this species 

 of Aloe, probably gives as good, if not a better, than any of the 

 others. It remarks that " the proper aloetic juice exists in longitudi- 

 nal vessels beneath the epidermis of the leaves, and readily ilows out 

 when these are cut transversely. The liquid obtained by expression 

 from the parenchjma is mucilaginous, and possessed of little medicinal 

 virtue. The quality of the drug depends much upon the mode of pre- 

 paring it. The finest kind is that obtained by exudation and subse- 

 quent inspissation in the sun. Most of the better sorts, however, are 

 prepared by artificially heating the juice which has spontaneously ex- 

 uded from the cut leaves. The chief disadvantage of this process, is 

 the conversion of a portion of the soluble active principle into an in- 

 soluble and comparatively inert substance, through the influence of an 

 elevated temperature. The plan of bruising and expressing the leaves, 

 and boiliig down the resulting liquor, yields a much inferior product, 

 as a kige portion of it must be derived from the mucilaginous juice of 

 the parenchyma. The worst plan of all is to boil the leaves them- 

 selves i:i water, and to evaporate the decoction. The quality of the 

 drug U also affected by the careless or fraudulent mixture of foreign 

 ■ 'atters with the juice, and the unskilful management of the inspis- 

 ;-ition." 



Mtdkal Properties and Uses. The different varieties of this 

 i.]ant are all similar in their mode of action. They are all cathartic, 

 ' perating very slowly but certainly, having a peculiar affinity for the 

 large intestines. Their action appears to be directed rather to the 

 muscular coat than to the exhalent vessels, and the discharges which 

 they produce are therefore seldom very thin or watery. In full doses 

 they quicken the circulation and produce general warmth. 



