u: 



AI.UIV 



> iu the mod* at collecUon, but even the real Soeotorine aloes 

 XWM deteriorated, from any penon in the island of Soootra 

 being at liberty to cut M many love* of the now neglected plant an be 

 pleases, and prepare it in any way he like*, instead of the care formerly 

 bestowed on it. - Formerly every part of the ialand produced the aloe ; 

 and the whole was farmed out to different individual*, the produce 

 being nwoopoliaed at a fixed price by the Sultan. The boundaries, 

 however, tliux tut up. uhieli consisted of loono atonu walU, and were 

 carried with iiumeiuv labour over hill and dale, though they still remain, 

 under the prevent unsettled government no longer distinguish pro- 

 perty. The descendants of the owners to whom the aoreral fields were 

 formerly allotted, have either withdrawn thuir claims, or them are 

 forgotten. At (invent, any one who chooses to take the trouble, 

 coUecta the aloe-leaves, and nothing U levied on account of the Sultan." 

 (Lieut. Wellfltod, ' Memoir on the Inland of Socotra,' in ' Journal of Royal 

 Oeogr. Society,' vol. v. p. 197.) In the language of the ialand the aloe 

 U called Tayef ; by the Arabs, Soobah. Though this island possesses 

 plant* sufficient to yield nearly all the aloes required iu commerce, 

 very little is now obtained from it ; and what passes under the name 

 of Socotorine aloes is almost entirely the best East Indian sort, as is 

 rendered further evident by its being exported from Bombay. When 

 one source of any article of commerce is dried up, it is the custom of 

 the dealers to bestow the name of the sort iu greatest repute on the 

 best they possess ; meaning, not that it is the produce of the place the 

 name of which it bears, but that it possesses the qualities of the kind 

 originally obtained from that part. Alterations in commerce, de- 

 pendent on a variety of causes, are constantly rendering implicit 

 reliance on names a very unsafe guide. . 



Attention to the mode of extracting the juiee might render aloes, 

 whencesoever procured, of excellent quality ; but it will be seen pre- 

 sently how little the ordinary methods are calculated to ensure this 

 end, quantity rather than quality being aimed at by the preparers. The 

 aloe, like the hyacinth and many other liliaceous plants, contains a vast 

 quantity of a mucilaginous matter (vegetable albumen ?), more abundant 

 towards the centre of the thick fleshy leaves than near the surface. The 

 medicinal juice is altogether different from this, and is contained in a 

 distinct set of vessels (Op.-uigi.-i, Link ; Opophora, vasix loctifera), which 

 are distributed chiefly under the thick cuticle of the leaves. Out of 

 these vessels the juice sometimes exudes, either from turgescence or 

 from the punctures of insects, and concretes into tears, forming that 

 variety of aloes called Aloe lucida, seen occasionally as a curiosity, but 

 not met with as a commercial article. (The terra A. liir!<lit is applied 

 by Geiger and Thcod. Martius to fine Cape aloes, but it is quite distinct 

 from that now spoken of.) If transverse but not deep im-isicnis were 

 made at various points and at proper distances in the course of the 

 leaves while yet attached to the stem, much fine aloes could be pro- 

 cured by scraping off the juice from time to time as it flows, or allowing 

 it to become concrete and then picking it off. The general practice, 

 however, is to cut off the leaves near the base, and put their open ends 

 into a skin, into which the juice (low*. This is afterwards inspissated, 

 either by spontaneous evaporation in the sun, or promoted by a gentle 

 heat. Pressure of the leaves is sometimes made to assist the flow, but 

 by this means " large quantities of viscid mucilage are forced out, and 

 mix with the projier bitter juice, which is proportionately deteriorated." 

 (O'Shauglmetwy.) I lipping the leaves into hot water, by which their 

 vitality in It.-.- n. d ,,r destroyed, and their hygroscopicitj ilimini.-hcd, 

 is equally objectionable, as the viscid mucilage then flows out more 

 freely. Worst of all is the plan now, but not formerly, pursued iu 

 Barbadoes. Barbadoes aloes of the present day in the extract of a 

 decoction. " It is made by immersing for ten minutes in boiling water 

 the chopped leaves previously enclosed in cloths or wicker baskets, 

 increasing the strength of the decoction with repeated supplies of 

 chopped leaves till the water is fully charged ; then allowing the liquor 

 to cool and the sediment to settle ; and finally evaporating the clear 

 liquor with caution till it is concentrated sufficiently to become solid 

 on cooling. The hot liquor is allowed to concrete in large gourd-shells, 

 in which it U always transported to Europe." (Christison.) From these 

 different plans of collecting and inspissating the juice, result* an article 

 which differs considerably in appearance and greatly in value. Aloes 

 is one of the few drugs in which adulteration is not extensively 

 practised, further than by substituting the inferior and low-priced kinds 

 for the superior. When carelessly prepared, sand and fragments of 

 leave* and skins are frequently found in the (ample*. 



A few of the most important sorts found in commerce may be 

 noticed. The finest sort, to which the term Socotorine aloes is given, 

 can scarcely be regarded as one of daily occurrence, and is noticed 

 merely as a standard of excellence by which to judge of others accord- 

 ing to the degree* in which they approximate it. "It consists of small 

 angular fragments, possessing a deep garnet-red colour, altered some- 

 what by exposure to the air ; a conchoida] fracture, a resinous lustre, 

 much tnnslucency in thin layers, a beautiful garnet-red hue by trons- 

 mittcd light, ami a (wculiarly fragrant odour. It is brittle, easily 

 pulveriaable, and of a fine golden-yellow tint when in ]>owder. It U 

 almost entirely soluble in spirit of the density of 950', a very scanty 

 light flocculent matter being left." (Christison.) As specimen* decline 

 from this unusually high standard, the lustre diminishes, the fracture 

 is rougher, the odour leas pleasant, the solubility lee*, they are not so 

 readily pulverisable, the powder is of a deeper colour, inclining to 



brown, the residuum greater, and consisting of more of the flocculeut 

 matter, a* well as incidental impurities. In regard to the amount of 

 insoluble matter, Barbados* aloes contains the most, varying from 6 to 

 12 per cent ; and it i* much more difficult to reduce to powder, u the 

 mode of obtaining it explains. 



The chief varieties go by the name of Socotorine ; East Indian, 

 called also frequently kepatie; and Cape aloes (Aloe lri<ia of Geiger 

 and Theod. Martius), also called A. Cabo. Innumerable cubvarietie* of 

 these are found. Caballine, or hone aloe*, has nearly disappeared from 

 commerce, refinement or fashjou in veterinary medicine deeming it not 

 fit for hones. 



Barbadoes aloe* come* to this country in the gourds and calabashes 

 into which it is poured when prepared. Each of these weigh* from 

 sixty to even eighty pounds. When broken, the fracture is sometimes 

 conchoids!, seldom lustrous, and having a more liver-like aspect, better 

 entitling it to the designation of hepatic, by which it u frequently 

 colled, than any of the other*. 



The chief chemical constituent* of aloes are aluai (or the sapo- 

 naceous principle) ; rerin ; reyelalJe albumen, absent from the best kinds ; 

 gallic arid, a trace according to Trommsdorff ; aloetie acid, according to 

 Pereira. Aloe* is however of rather a more complex nature than appear* 

 from this view. Aloeain, or aloe-bitter, is entirely soluble in cold water, 

 but not in absolute alcohol When hot water is used, something is taken 

 up, which is deposited as the water cools : to this the name of resin 

 has been given, perhaps not with perfect propriety. The aloesin is 

 looked upon as the cathartic principle of aloes, the resin rather a* an 

 irritant and objectionable ingredient Hence in some of the ' Pharma- 

 copoeias ' an extract is ordered to accomplish their separation ; a pro- 

 ceeding altogether unnecessary, when aloes of the best quality can be 

 obtained by giving a proper price for it The formation of a dn 

 by heat is still more objectionable, as a much superior preparation i- 

 made by cold water alone, more grateful to the stomach and not leu 

 effective if given in rather larger dose, 



Few more valuable drugs exist, as is proved by the numerous pre- 

 parations made either of aloes alone, or with some other article* 

 combined with it These combinations have various objects in view, 

 some to heighten it* (lowers, others to modify, and some to get rid of 

 certain well-founded objections to its effects. The chief of these are 

 noticed )>n< 



In large doses it is decidedly aperient, but JH unlike many oilier 

 cathartics in so far that increasing the dose beyond a certain point by 

 no means increases the effect. This can be accomplished how, 

 associating it with other cathartics, and still more decidedly by Doiting 

 it with tonics, such ax iron or quinia. Aloes and quini.-i with ami- 

 nionial powder, and aromatic powder to cover the unpleasant taste, 

 form a combination of great utility in many gas! uiniU, 



especially where the head is implicated. Thus, when persons are so 

 fortunate as to be rallying from the stage of collapse iu Asiatic cholera, 

 this combination given frequently improve* the secretions and abates 

 the fever. In some fevers with numerous liquid motions it may also 

 be given with striking benefit, the motions diminishing in frequency 

 and increasing in solidity, as well as becoming of a more healthy 

 appearance. In the congested state of the bowels and brain which 

 precedes water in the brain, aloes, either in this combination or in some 

 other form, is of great utility. (Yeats ' On Water on the Brain.') 

 Persons predisposed to apoplexy are more benefited by aloes than by 

 most other purgatives, especially if they have been previously subject 

 to a lueuiorrhoidal flux which has been suppressed. 



The combination which increases the purgative power of aloes in the 

 most remarkable degree is formed by adding one drop of strong (undi- 

 luted) sulphuric acid to four grains of the best aloes, and forming a 

 pill, two of which, given every two, four, or six hours, will almost 

 invariably relieve the most obstinate cases of constipation, such on 

 occur in painters' cholic, ileus, and other diseases. It U even more 

 efficacious than croton-oil, and not so apt to excite inflammation of the 

 intestines. This augmentation of power seem* to be in conformity 

 with a general law, by which many vegetable principle* have their 

 properties heightened by adding an acid, either mineral or vegetable. 

 Thus ammoniacum becomes a more powerful expectorant by adding 

 dilute nitric acid to the mistura ammoniac! ; and the foetid gums, 

 such as assafu'tida, are rendered more potent by solution in vinegar. 

 (' Acetum Antihystericum,' formula No. 1, in Copland's ' Dictionary of 

 Medicine.') 



Aloes, especially the compound decoction, is a most valuable 

 emmenagogue, particularly when combined with tincture of ergot or 

 preparations of iron. From its action on the lower ]>art of the bowels 

 it is deemed an improper purgative in pregnancy or during the 

 menstrual flux. It is also considered improper for persons subject to 

 piles. This objection has been attempted to be obviated by v . 

 means ; but the best way i* to combine it with other agents, as stated 

 by Dr. Christison, as many persons can take the compound gamboge- 

 mil, or compound extract of colocyuth, who cannot take aloe* alone. 

 The belt mean* of covering the unpleasant taste of aloes, when given in 

 the liquid form, is the compound tincture of lavender. 



ALGETIC ACID (HO, C,.H.(NO.),O, Aq. i), a nwii...i.l ...id. found 

 by Schunck in the product* of the action of nitric acid upon extract of 

 (Joes. It forms red salts. 



A LOIN. (C u H,, O,, r) Stenhouse obtained this substance from 



