358 MATER i A MEDIC A AND THERAPEUTICS. 



species of Aloe. Produced chiefly in Socotra^ and 

 snipped to Europe by way of Bombay. 



Characters. In reddish-brown masses, opaque, or trans- 

 lucent at the edges ; breaks with an irregular or smooth and 

 resinous fracture ; has a bitter nauseous taste, and a strong but 

 fragrant odour ; dissolves entirely in proof spirit, and during 

 solution exhibits microscopically numerous minute crystals. 



Composition. Aloes contains : (1) Aloin^ Ci 7 Hi 8 07, an in- 

 odorous body, with a taste at first sweet, afterwards intensely 

 bitter ; partly crystallising in small colourless needles, partly 

 amorphous and then called aloetin ; readily soluble in hot water, 

 the heat converting the crystalline into the amorphous form. 



(2) Aloe resin, a brown translucent body, insoluble in water. 



(3) Gallic acid, in small quantity. (4) A volatile oil, the 

 source of the odour of aloes. (5) Various less important bodies. 



Dose. Of either kind of aloes, 2 to 6 gr. 



Preparations. 

 A. Of Aloe Sarbadensis : 



1. Enema Aloes. 40 gr. ; Carbonate of Potash, 15 gr. ; Muci- 



lage of Starch, 10 fl.oz. For one enema. 



2. Extractum Aloes Barbadensis. Aqueous. 1 in 1. Dose, 



to 2 gr. 

 a Aloes Barbadensis. Aloes, 2 ; Hard Soap, 1 ; Oil of 



Caraway, ^ ; Confection of Roses, 1. Dose, 4 to 8 gr. 

 4. Pilula Aloes et Ferri. Aloes, 2 ; Sulphate of Iron, 1 ; Com- 

 pound Powder of Cinnamon, 3 ; Confection of Roses, 4. 

 Dose, 5 to 10 gr. 



Barbadoes Aloes is also an important ingredient of Pilula 

 Cambogiae Composita, Pilula Colocynthidis Com- 

 posita, and Pilula Colocynthidis et Hyoscyami. 



B. Of Aloe Socotrina : 



1. Enema Aloes. Prepared as from Barbadoes Aloes. 



2. Extractum Aloes Socotrinse. Aqueous. 2 in 1. Dose, 1 



to 3 gr. 



From Extractum Aloes Socotrina is prepared : 



Decoctum Aloes Composition. Extract, 120 gr. ; Myrrh, 



90 gr. ; Saffron, 90 gr. ; Carbonate of Potash, 60 gr. ; 



Extract of Liquorice, 1 oz. ; Compound Tincture of 



Cardamoms, 8 fl.oz. ; and Water to make 30 oz. 



4 gr. in 1 fl.oz. Dose, % to 2 fl.oz. 

 Extractum Aloes Socotrina is also an ingredient of Extractum 



Colocynthidis Composition. 1 in 2 nearly. 



