351 
ON THE ACTIVE PRINCIPLE OF MOCHA OR 
BOMBAY ALOES. 
Bi) W. J. T. Morton, Esq., Lecturer on Veterinary Materia Medica. 
Brande, ill the last edition of his “ Dictionary of Materia Me¬ 
dica and practical Pharmacy,” says, “ Aloes appears to be a mixture 
of gum, extractive, and a little resin; but whether its activity re¬ 
sides in one or all of these components has not been accurately as¬ 
certained.” 
Following up the experiments instituted by me with the Mocha 
aloetic extract, I dissolved twelve-and-a-half ounces of it in water, 
and obtained 
Bitter Soluble Extract. 9 oz. 
Resinous Matter. 2^ oz. 
Refuse. 10 drachms 
I gave to a horse, the subject of experiment, four drachms of the 
resin, and no visible effect whatever followed its exhibition; six 
drachms were then administered with the same result; and, after 
allowing a day or two to intervene, the remainder, one ounce, was 
given, and still no action was apparent. I hardly need add, that, 
during this time, the animal was kept on alow diet, consisting prin- 
cipall}^ of mashes. 
When I felt convinced that no influence of the agent could any 
longer be anticipated, I gave four drachms of the bitter extract. On 
the following day the alvine evacuations were a little softened, and 
more frequently voided. Four days after this I exhibited six 
drachms, which purged the animal freely. These experiments I 
leave to speak for themselves. 
The bitter extractive, when separated from the other constituents 
of the drug, very closely resembles the Cape extract. It has lost 
its brown colour and its opacity, and become dark-coloured and 
translucent; breaking smooth and splintery at the edges. 
The greater part of the odour appeared to remain in combination 
with the resinous matter. 
The suggestion which I ventured to offer for the formation of a 
purgative mass seems likely to be superseded by the introduction 
into the market of a considerable quantity of the STRAINED MoCHA 
EXTRACT, from which all the impurities have been removed. In 
its external characters it is similar to by no means a bad sample of 
the Barbadoes extract, for which, indeed, by the inexperienced it 
may be mistaken. 
The following formula may be accepted; and it appears to pos¬ 
sess some advantages, the principal of which are, that it does not 
