ALOE, (Encycl.) The mitre-shaped aloe, so termed from the figure of its leaves, is a kind of symbolic plant to the Mahometans, especially in Egypt, and in some measure dedicated to the offices of religion; for whoever returns from a pilgrimage to Mecca, hangs it over his street-door, as a token of his having performed that holy journey. The superstitious Egyptians believe, that this plant hinders evil spirits and apparitions from entering the house; and on this account, whoever walks the streets in Cairo, will find it over the doors both of Christians and Jews. From the same plant the Egyptians distil a water, which is sold in the apothecaries shops at Cairo, and recommended in coughs, hysterics, and asthma. An unexperienced French surgeon, says Hasselquist, gave a Coptite, 40 years old, afflicted with the jaundice, four tea-cups full of the distilled water of this species of aloe, and cured him in four days. This remedy, unknown to our apothecaries, is not difficult to be obtained, as the plant might easily be raised in the warm southern parts of Europe. The Arabians call it sabbara.
The under leaves of a species of aloe, termed by Linnaeus aloe disticha, are of a dark-green colour, spotted with white, somewhat resembling the colour of soft soap; whence it is sometimes distinguished by the name of soap-aloe.
The name of pearl aloe is given to a certain species, the leaves of which are closely studded with white beautiful protuberances.
Of the leaves of the Guinea aloe, mentioned by Mr Adanson in his voyage to Senegal, the negroes make very good ropes, not apt to rot in the water.
Dr Sloane mentions two sorts of aloes; one of which is used for fishing-lines, bow-strings, stockings, and hammocks; the other has leaves which, like those of the wild-pine and banana, hold rain-water, and thereby afford a very necessary refreshment to travellers in hot countries, where there is generally a scarcity of wells and water.
The substance known among druggists and apothecaries by the name of aloes, is a thick, or inspissated juice, drawn from the plants by expression or incision. Of this substance there are three sorts, which differ in purity, and, according to most authors, are the produce of the same plant.
The manner of collecting and preparing the juice, is thus explained by J. Bauhin: having cut the herb in pieces, they bruise it, and squeeze out the juice, which they put up into a vessel of a long and round shape, suffering it to stand for the space of 25 days; in the meanwhile they take care to clear off the useless scum, and throw it away, as also the upper part of the juice, until such time as some difference appears in its colour and consistence. The purer part of this juice being concreted, or hardened, is called succotrine aloes; the remaining part, being of a dark liver-colour, is called hepatic aloes; and from the dregs or settlements, is made that sort called caballine or horse-aloes.
Notwithstanding the contrary opinion of Columba, Bauhin, Ray, and other naturalists, we are now sufficiently certain, that the three kinds of aloes just mentioned, are the juices of three different plants: the succotrine, of the aloe vera of Miller; the hepatic, of the aloe vulgaris of Bauhin, aloe Discoloris et aliorum of Sloane, and aloe barbadensis of Miller; the caballine, of the aloe Guineensis caballina, vulgaris similis, sed tota maculata, of Commelin.
The finest or purest is the succotrine aloe, so called, says Pomet, either because the substance itself is a concreted juice, or, which is most probable, because the belt comes from Socotora, or Zocotra, an island in the streights of Babelmandel. Succotrine aloes, when broken, is transparent; and when powdered, of a fine yellow golden colour, with a bitter taste, and a smell like that of myrrh. From the root and leaves of the West-India, or Barbadoes aloes, is prepared the second sort, called from its colour, which is a dark-red like that of a liver, hepatic aloes. This sort, which is coarser than the former, and seldom used in medicine except for horses, is brought us in gourds or calabashes of different sizes and weight. It is of a liver colour, clear, and not very fetid in smell.
The third sort, by much the coarsest, black, hard to break, and frequently adulterated, is called caballine aloes; because, like the second sort, it is solely appropriated to the use of horses. This sort is generally sold in the shops for the true hepatic aloes.
The month of March, says Mr Huglies in his Natural History of Barbadoes, is the properest season to make the aloes; which is done in the following manner: Each negro has by him three or four portable tubs, into which the leaves are thrown with their broken ends downwards. These being full of large longitudinal veins, or vessels, yield an easy passage to the juice, which is of a greenish yellow colour, to drip out. The juice being boiled for about five hours in a copper or kettle, the watery particles evaporate, and the remainder comes to a consistency, and thickens as sugar doth when sufficiently boiled. The way to know when it is enough boiled, is to dip a stick in the liquor, and observe whether the aloes, sticking to it when cold, breaks short; if it does, then it is boiled to perfection, and fit to be poured into gourds, calabashes, or other vessels for use.
Succotrine aloes, which is the only sort now prescribed in medicine, is seldom or never administered in potion, by reason of its extreme bitterness; but is often given in pills, being in fact the basis of the greatest part of the purgative pills now in use. The Francfort or angelic pill is entirely composed of it. In the city of Goa, as Garcias relates, aloes well bruised and mixed with milk, is prescribed with success, to such as are afflicted with ulcers in the kidneys or bladder, and void purulent urine. The herbs which produce the three medicines just mentioned, are by no means to be confounded with the tree from which is procured the precious, valuable, and rare wood called wood of aloes.