338 ^Treatise on 
Dofe, ought to be reckoned among Eccoproticks : But 
in a larger Doie it becomes not fo properly a power- 
ful cathartick, as a noxious one. So that if we would 
augment its purgative Force, it ought not to be 
done by enlarging its Dofe, but by mixing with it 
fome other Cathaiticks. 
2. Authors are not more agreed with RefpeCt to 
its Virtue of (Lengthening the Bowels, as the Sto- 
mach, Liver, &c. and of correcting other Purga- 
tives. Diofcorides fays, that Aloes mixed with 
other Purgatives renders them lefs hurtful to the 
Stomach. Galen, on ihe Virtues of fimple Medicines , 
/. 6. afferts, that nothing is more agreeable to the 
Stomach : And Paulus VEgineta is of the fame Opi- 
nion. “ All purging Medicines (fays he) are un- 
<c friendly to the Stomach, except Aloes, which is 
<c agreeable.” Mefue pleads (Longly for its good 
EffeCts : For he propofes Aloes as a Medicine great- 
ly preferable to other Purgatives *, which is fo far 
from weakening the Body, like them, that on the 
contrary it (Lengthens it •, that it corrects the Faults 
of other purging Medicines, cures the Diforders 
occafioned by them, and increafes their Efficacy. 
In fine, others have ffiled it a falutary Balfam ; in- 
afmuch as it prelerves the natural Humours, eva- 
cuates the preternatural, corrects thofe between both, 
and defends all from Corruption : Whence this com- 
mon Proverb ; Qui vult vivere annos Noe , fumat Pi - 
Mas de Aloe. 
Some, however, have quite a different Opinion 
of the Virtues of Aloes, afferting that it hurts the 
Stomach and Liver, and even go fo far as to tell 
us that it fhortens Life. Galen , /. 3. Aphorifm 15. 
condemns the too frequent Ufe of all Purgatives 
whatever, in Words to this EffeCt “ He who 
46 purges himlelf twice, or even once a Month, for 
“ Fear left a Load of Excrements fhould be accu- 
2 “ mulated 
