ANALYSIS OF ALOES. Or- 



decoctiODs of several bitter plants of the class syngencsia, 

 in which febrifuge virtues have long been acknowledged, as 

 wormwood, centaurea calcitrapa and benedicta, succory, 

 dandelion, and likewise fumitory*. It is true, that these 

 plants have been found less eflkacious than the astrino-ent 

 febrifuges ; and I am persuaded, that the principle in cin- 

 <:hona, which acts specifically against fever, and the periodi- 

 calness of diseases, is owing to the combination of the re- 

 sinoamer with tannin, or a similar matter. Following these 

 ideas, my colleague, Dr. Haldat, intends to make some ' 

 important experiments, that may lead to great and useful 

 discoveries, and of which he will give an account. 



We know that aloes, taken internally, is a very active Medical pro- 

 tonic, and externally is a very powerful antiseptic. Would i'""^''*^^"^ ^^^'^ 

 it have this antiseptic power internally ? It is likewise ac- Galls destroy 

 knowledged, to have febrifuge and purgative properties : '^^ puroaiive 

 but it is not commonly known, that it ceases to purge ^^' '^' 

 when mixed with powdered galls, a fact I have found by ex- 

 perience. 



REMARKS. 



TO complete this examination of a valuable drug, pretty Other anaW? 

 extensively used in physic, before we proceed with prof." ^ 

 Braconnot to other gum.resins, we shall give an abstract of 

 the analyses of it by Trommsdorffand by Bouillon-Lagrange 

 audVogel, both in the same volume of the Ann. de Chimie, 

 that hy TrommsdorfF being taken from his Journal of 

 Pharmacy. The following are the results of Mr. Tromras- 

 iflorff's analysis. 



,1. Succotrine aloes dissolves entirely in boiling water; butResultsof 

 jthe resinous part separates on cooling. ^["',"',^*~^"^^^ 



" 2. It dissolves also in alcohol without leaving any resi- 

 duum. 



3. The parts soluble in water contain more bitter prin- 

 ciple than those soluble in alcohol, though the latter are 

 iaot destitute of it. 



**^*^ 'ft appears to me, that the resiniform matter found in bile 

 by Thenard has a great deal of similarity with the resinoamer of 

 ialoes. 



4. The 



