542 VEGETABLE DRUGS 



tin or glass vessels. Horses should not be worked after 

 receiving aloes balls, but should be given a little walking 

 exercise 12 hours after the administration of the dose. 

 Colic and superpurgation may follow if the dose is repeated 

 within 48 hours, or if large quantities of cold water are 

 allowed during the action of the cathartic. If aloes does not 

 operate satisfactorily, it is safer to give linseed oil by the 

 mouth and rectal injections, than to administer a second 

 dose of aloes. 



Uses External. — The tincture of aloes and myrrh is 

 sometimes applied as a stimulant to wounds, and powdered 

 aloes is mixed with plaster of Paris in making splints for 

 dogs, to prevent these animals from biting and tearing them 

 off. 



Uses Internal, — Aloes is employed in the treatment of the 

 horse, whenever an active purge is desirable, with the fol- 

 lowing exceptions : It must not be used in acute diseases of 

 the respiratory tract lest metastasis occur, and the inflam- 

 mation attack the bowels. Neither in acute inflammation of 

 the alimentary canal nor of the kidneys is it desirable ; nor 

 in intestinal obstruction or impaction of the colon. In the 

 first two named conditions, aloes is too irritating to the 

 organs implicated ; in the two last, the drug may aggravate 

 the trouble by the production of impotent peristaltic move- 

 ments. Pregnancy contra-indicates the use of aloes, lest 

 abortion ensue. The therapeutic scope of aloes being large, 

 it is impossible to enumerate all the diseases in which it is 

 useful. Perhaps this cathartic is more commonly service- 

 able in indigestion and spasmodic or flatulent colic. 



In acute inflammatory diseases of the brain and cord 

 aloes is often combined with calomel ( 3 i) in ball to enha,nce 

 the effect. The administration of an aloes ball is followed 

 by that of small doses of Epsom salts ( 3 iv.) in the drinking 

 water in the treatment of hsenjoglobinsemia of horses, or in 

 conditions when we wish to assist the depleting action of 

 aloes. Turpentine is followed by aloes, or aloes is given 

 prior to a course of iron sulphate and gentian, for the 



