242 SPECIFICS FOR THE ALIMENTARY TRACT 



10 per cent, of each. Aloes also enter into the composition of nu- 

 merous pills. 



Active Constituent. The active constituent is a neutral piin- 

 ciple aloinum (aloin). This varies more or less in chemical com- 

 position and physical properties according to the source from which 

 obtained. It is chiefly prepared from Curacao aloes. It occurs as 

 a light to dark yellow powder, of slight odor but intensely bitter 

 taste. Soluble in about 65 parts of water and 10.75 of alcohol. 



Dose Vi — % that of aloes. 



Action. There is no profound action beyond the digestive tract. 

 It is slightly stomachic in small doses increasing the secretions from 

 the entire tract. It is also thought to increase the secretion of bile. 

 Its purgative action is largely exerted on the large intestine. It 

 stimulates the muscular coats of this organ (increased peristalsis) as 

 well as increasing its secretions. 



Aloes requires from 12 to 36 hours to produce purgation, but 

 usually purgation will not take place in less than 18 hours unless 

 the horse has been prepared by a few messes of bran. 



Purgation may last from 3 to 24 hours. It is not safe to repeat 

 an aloes purge inside of 48 hours as superpurgation may result. If 

 at the end of 16 to 18 hours purgation has not started, the horse may 

 be gently walked, and returned to the stall when signs of purgation 

 show. During active catharsis horses will be off feed, colicky, and 

 suffer from griping caused by the violent peristalsis. It is on this 

 account that a carminative is usually added to aloes. These symp- 

 toms should be kept in mind so that one will not be misled by the 

 workings of an aloes purge. 



Large doses congest the pelvic viscera, irritate the rectum and 

 may cause abortion. 



Euminants are not so susceptible to aloes as horses and this drug 

 is therefore not certain in action but if combined with other purga- 

 tives it is believed to assist their action. Dogs and cats require much 

 more aloes for purgative action than man. According to f rohner, 

 dogs require 5 to 10 times as much. 



Therapeutics. 1. Wherever a good brisk cathartic is desired: 

 colic, hidebound, overloaded stomach or bowels, to expel worms after 

 a vermicide, to promote the excretion of waste products from the 

 bowels and blood: in fact, in those conditions demanding strong 

 purgation. 



2. As a tonic where a bitter tonic is desired. Here it is fre- 

 quently difficult of administration as the animals will often refuse to 

 take it if mixed with the feed. 



3. As a stimulant to wounds. Comp. tincture of aloes and 

 myrrh. 



Contraindications. In inflammations of the digestive tract, 



