Aloes, the inspissated juice of the leaves of different species of aloe. Several varieties are known in commerce, some much superior in quality to others. Cape aloes, obtained from the aloe spicata, growing at the Cape of Good Hope, occurs in masses of a shining dark olive-green color, of a vitreous fracture, and translucent at the edges; the powder is of a greenish yellow color, with a very disagreeable odor and intensely bitter taste. Barbadoes aloes is prepared in the West Indies, and is the product chiefly of the A. vulgaris. The color is a dark brown, not shining, and the odor is unpleasant. Socotrine aloes, from the A. Soco-trina, occurs in pieces of a yellowish brown color, less shining than the Cape aloes; the fracture is conchoidal, the odor aromatic, and the taste very bitter. This is much the most valuable variety, and the name is applied to parcels of aloes of good quality coming from other sources than the island of Socotra.

Hepatic aloes, known in India as Bombay aloes, has a dark liver color, and is probably an inferior kind of drug, manufactured from the dregs of other sorts. - Aloes contains a neutral bitter principle called aloine, which acts as a cathartic in the dose of from one half to one or two grains, and insoluble matter called apo-theme. It yields its virtues to water and alcohol, and is often administered, in its natural form or in combination with other substances, in pills. It is an irritant purgative, slow in operation, and acting chiefly on the lower bowel and the rectum. A peculiarity of its action is that an increase of the quantity administered, beyond the medium dose, is not attended with a corresponding increase of effect. When used for a long time, the dose may be rather diminished than inereased. It is rarely used alone, but is combined with soap, rhubarb, colocynth, and iron in substance and in tincture. It forms an ingredient of a great number of empirical preparations. From 2 to 5 grains form a laxative dose; from 5 to 10 grains, a strong purgative. It is supposed to produce or irritate piles. Its tendency is to produce congestion of other pelvic organs, and it is therefore sometimes used as an emmenagogue. - The processes of preparing the drug are various.

Sometimes the leaves are cut off at the stem, then cut in pieces, and the juice drained off in iron vessels. It is then suffered to stand for 48 hours, during which time the dregs are deposited, and the remaining portion is poured off into broad flat vessels, and becomes inspissated. In other places, the leaves are pulled, and after being cut in pieces, the juice is extracted by pressure. - The aloes or lign aloes (i. e., wood aloes, Lat. lignum) mentioned in the Bible as a perfume was an entirely different substance. It was probably the product of the aquilaria agallo-chum of tropical Asia, which yields the highly aromatic aloe wood or eagle wood of commerce. There are many other species, the wood of which, like that of the preceding, is rendered more or less resinous and odoriferous by decay, with a bitter quality which gives it the name of aloes: