ALOIN 445 



with two ounces of ginger to every pound of aloes. The 

 addition of ginger, or some such aromatic, hastens catharsis, 

 and diminishes nausea and griping. The ingredients were 

 mixed over a slow fire, and constantly stirred until properly 

 melted, care being taken to prevent the temperature rising 

 above 120 Fahr. The mass should be kept in air-tight jars, 

 the balls being made up as required. Another good and 

 less bulky mass is prepared by adding to melted aloes about 

 one-fourth of its weight of rectified spirit, or oil of tur- 

 pentine, which keeps the mass soft and moist. Aloetic 

 balls made with lard, oils, or soap are only suitable for 

 immediate use, and, if kept for several weeks, become dry 

 and hard. Drying may, however, be retarded by adding 

 a little glycerin and an ounce of potassium carbonate or 

 acetate to every pound of the compound. Twenty grains 

 each of powdered aloes, jalap, ginger, and soap, made into a 

 pill, with glycerin or vaseline, is a good purge for a large 

 dog, and will make two doses for a smah 1 one. 



Watery infusions for immediate use are prepared by 

 rubbing down the aloes in hot water, avoiding a temperature 

 exceeding 120 Fahr. Tinctures made by macerating the 

 drug in alcohol (60 per cent.) for seven days, and afterwards 

 filtering, may be of such strength as suits the practitioner's 

 convenience. The B.P. tincture is prepared with extract 

 of Barbados aloes, liquid extract of liquorice, and alcohol 

 (45 per cent.). Extracts made with the view of removing a 

 portion of the resin have nothing to recommend them. 

 Aloes is slowly dissolved when introduced into the rectum, 

 and hence exerts little laxative effect ; but one or two 

 drachms are occasionally ordered as an enema for the horse, 

 dissolved, with soap and a drachm of potassium carbonate, 

 in two quarts of warm water. 



ALOIN. The active crystalline principle aloin was first 

 discovered in Barbados aloes, and subsequently in the 

 other varieties. An analogous crystalline substance has 

 been separated from Natal aloes, and named nataloin, while 

 from Socotrine aloes socaloin has been obtained. These 

 three aloins are generally believed to be isomeric, although 

 some authorities regard them as a homologous series. 

 They are derivatives of anthraquinone, and so are related 



