CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

ALOES

Names. Called also sea houseleek, and sea-ay-green.

Description. This plant has very long leaves, thick and set round about with short points or crests, standing wide one from another: the root is thick and long; all the herb is of a strong flavour and bitter taste. Out of this herb is drawn a juice which is dried and called Aloes, after the plant Aloe, in different parts of the world. There are three sorts of Aloes common in the shops, but that which is procured from this plant, and distinguished by the name of Succotrine Aloes, is by far the best for internal use.

Place. It grows very plentifully in India, and the best juice is brought from thence: it also grows in many places of Asia and Arabia, near the sea side.

Government and virtues. It is a martial plant, hot in the second degree, and dry in the third; of a very bitter taste; the juice being refined and clarified from its dross, is of a clear and blackish clean brown colour: it opens the belly, and purges cold, phlegmatic, and choleric humours which overburden and hurt the stomach: it is the basis in almost all pills and comforts, cleanses and dries up all superfluous humours. It may be taken with cinnamon, ginger, mace, galingal, or anniseed, to assuage and drive away pains of the stomach, to warm it and expel phlegm: the same is also good against the jaundice and spitting of blood. Aloes made into powder, and strewed upon new bloody wounds, stops the blood and heals them: it likewise closes up old ulcers, particularly those about the private parts and fundament: boiled with wine and honey, it heals rifts and hemorrhoides: applied with honey it takes away black spots that come by stripes or bruises, and is good against inflammations, hurts, and scabs of the eyes, and against running and dimness of the same. Mixed with oil of roses and vinegar, and applied to the forehead and temples, it helps the head-ach: the head being rubbed with Aloes mixed with wine, preserves the hair; applied with wine, it cures sore mouths, sore gums, sore throat, and kernels under the tongue, and outwardly applied, is a good consolidative medicine. It likewise powerfully resists putrefaction, removes obstructions of the viscera, kills worms in the stomach and intestines, is good for the ague, green sickness, and provokes the menses.