Foreign Vegetables. 339 
lt mutated in his Body, will not only bring it to a 
44 bad Cuftom, but will alfo enfeeble and make it 
44 worfe.” Though this be not fpokeh of Aloes 
in particular, it is yet to be underftood no lefs of 
that than of other Purgatives. And they who an- 
lwer, from Galen , that Aloes is agreeable to the 
Stomach, meet with a fharp Reply from Scaliger 
and Cardan. For they allure us that Multitudes, 
under the fame Miftake, hoping by this Medicine 
to prolong their Lives to a good old Age, have 
either died untimely by uling it, or have been 
thrown into grievous Diftempers. 
Nor is the Judgment which Fernelius pafles upon 
it, /. 3. c . 9. of the Method of Cure , much more 
favourable. 44 Aloes (fays he) is hurtful to the 
44 Liver, where it vellicates by its Bitternefs and 
44 Acrimony the fmafl Veins ; it corrodes the Fun- 
44 dament, and opens the Hemorrhoids. It is highly 
44 prejudicial to thofe who vomit or fpit Blood, 
44 or who are fubjedt to any Flux of the fame from 
44 the Womb or Belly. In hot and dry Conftitu- 
44 tions, and in emaciated Bodies, it is ufelefs, un- 
44 lefs there be a targe Accumulation of excremen- 
44 titious Moifture. Neither is it proper for Chil- 
44 dren, nor fafe for pregnant Women, nor conve- 
44 nient for old People who are not replete with Ex- 
44 crements,” 
Cafpar Hoffman , on officinal Medicines , writes, after 
Helidaus , that the internal Ufe of Aloes is to be 
fufpedted, unlefs given to ftir up the Motion of the 
Blood. He like wife thinks that the extravagant 
Commendations bellowed upon it by Mefue , and 
others, are to be cautioufly interpreted *, efpecially 
when they tell us it is agreeable to the Stomach* 
not only by occafioning a Conftridtion, but alfo by 
an occult Quality. For as it is a Purgative, pro- 
perly fo called, it muft neceflarily include fome* 
Z 2 thing 
