Foreign Vegetables. 343 
They are no lefs at Variance in Regard of the 
Time of ufing it. Paulus ALgineta aflerts that it 
ought to be taken in the Morning when the Sto- 
mach is empty : “ For they who give it in the 
“ Evening (fays he) or after Food, do Mifchief ; 
44 for it corrupts the Aliment.” But at this Time 
Aloes is either taken fading, and then it purges very 
well •, or with Viduals, at the Beginning of Dinner 
or Supper, and then it purges {lowly, or only re- 
laxes the Belly. 
Aloes was rarely prefcribed by the Ancients, un- 
lefs prepared by Lotion, or Nutrition. The Loti- 
on or Wafhing is performed thus. The Aloes re- 
duced to a fmooth Powder, either alone, or, as J. 
Sylvius direds, with powdered Chalk, is thrown 
into clear Spring- Water and dirred about for fome 
Time with a wooden Spattle. Afterwards it is dif- 
fered to (land a Quarter of an Hour or longer to 
fettle, and then the* clearer Liquor which is upper- 
mod is poured off into another Veffel, and ex- . 
haled to Drynefs by the Heat of the Sun. If the 
Refidue be not diffidently pure and fhining, it is 
powdered and wafhed again ; and this Procefs may 
be repeated, if we pleafe, a third, or a fourth 
Time. For the Ancients believed that Aloes, af- 
ter fo many Lotions, was in a great Meafure de- 
prived of its cathartick Virtue and Acrimony. Ne- 
verthelefs fome of the Moderns have judged other- 
wife : Among whom Etmuller makes it to condft 
of two Subdances the one mucilaginous, where- 
upon its purgative Virtue depends *, the other re- 
dnous, wherein is lodged its Adringency. Where- 
fore, when purging alone is required, wafhed Aloes 
(which is the Gum, or the mucilaginous Part ex- 
traded by Water) is preferable to unwafhed Aloes : 
But when the refinous balfamick Part is neceflary, 
either to blunt the purgative Force of the other, or 
