Synonym. Aloe Socotrina. Natural order. Liliaceae. Habitat. A succulent plant, native of Africa. Preparation. Tincture from the inspissated juice.
GENERAL ANALYSIS.
Aloe acts predominantly upon the liver, giving rise to portal congestion, and greatly increasing the secretion of bile. Secondarily, it affect the muscular portion of the large intestine, and also the rectum, in the latter causing intense congestion, resulting in haemorrhoids, and also extending to the contiguous tissues of the pelvic viscera, especially involving the female generative system. The action upon the rectum is of most importance.
CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOMS.
Mind. Great disinclination to mental labor (Nux v.); it fatigues him. Exhaustion alternating with activity.
Head. Dull headache across the forehead, with heaviness in the eyes, and nausea (Nux. v., Podophyllum). Dull. pressive pain in the supra- orbital region; in the sinciput. Sense of weight in the vertex (Cact., Sulphur). Headaches are worse from heart and better from cold applications (Arsenicum). Headaches from insufficient stool; also with gastro-intestinal irritation.
Eyes. Pain deep in the orbits, as if in the muscles; worse in the right side (Cimic., Spigelia). Yellow rings moving before the eyes. Compelled to make the eyes small, with pain in forehead; heaviness of eyes, and nausea.
Mouth. Concave edges of teeth seem sharp, and hurt the tongue. Metallic taste, with dry, irritative hacking; bitter, nauseous taste.
Stomach. Bitter eructations. Nausea. Painful pressure under the sternum. Pain in pit of stomach on making a false step.
Abdomen. Uneasiness, heat, pressure, and tension in the region of the liver. Dull pain on the right side under the ribs, worse on standing. Abdomen painful, especially about the navel; twisting, griping, must sit bent forward (Causticum, Coloc., Iris, Veratrum); urging to stool, with passage of only offensive flatus (Bryonia). Distension of the abdomen (Antim crud., Bryonia, Cinchona), especially the about the navel; twisting, griping, must sit bent forward (Causticum, Coloc., Iris, Veratrum); urging to stool, with passage of only offensive flatus (Bryonia). Distension of the abdomen (Antim crud., Bryonia, Chinch.), especially the epigastrium, with flatus moving about (Lycopodium, Hepar, Pulsatilla). Discharge of much flatus, burning, offensive, relieving the pain in the abdomen. Griping before, with and after the stool (Mercurius); with the stool loud flatus (Agaricus, Thuja). A feeling of weakness in the abdomen, as of diarrhoea would occur (Physos.). Heaviness in the hypogastrium; in the rectum. Abdominal. muscles pain when touched, when pressing at stool or on rising from recumbent position.
Stool and Anus. Heat, soreness, and heaviness in the rectum and anus. Sensation of heat and burning in the rectum (Arsenicum). Itching and burning in the anus (Arsenicum). Itching and burning in the anus (Arsenicum, Cantharis, Sulphur); weakness or less of power of the sphincter ani. Sticking, cutting pains in anus after stool. Constant urging to stool during the day; wakes at night, arises out of bed at six A.M. (Agaricus, Podophyllum, Rumex, Sulphur). Urgency to stool, with passage of urine. Urgency, as with diarrhoea; only hot flatus passes, with great relief; but it soon returns with a sensation as of a plug wedged in between the symphysis pubis and the os coccygis (Anacardium). After the stool, sensation as if more were in the rectum. (Nux v.). Involuntary stool, with the escape of flatus (Phosphorus ac.). Has to hurry to the closet immediately after eating and drinking (Coloc.). Stool passes without exertion; seems so heavy that it falls out of the intestines. faeces and urine escape together (Hyoscyamus). Weakness and prostration at stool. Stools small, brownish, slimy, half fluid; bright yellow (Chelidonium), pappy; lumpy, watery, lumps of jelly-like mucus.
Haemorrhoids protrude (Calcarea c., Lachesis, Pulsatilla, Silicea), like a bunch of grapes (AEsc., Acid Muriaticum). with soreness and constant bearing down in the rectum.
Urinary Organs. Burning when urinating.
Female Organs. Pain in the hypogastrium, as if menses were coming on (Caulophyllum, Cimic., Pulsatilla, Sanguinaria). Fullness and heaviness in the uterine region, with labor-like pains in the loins and groins; worse standing (Belladonna). Menses too early and profuse (Ambra, Ammonium carb., Belladonna, Calcarea, Nux v.). Leucorrhoea of bloody mucus, preceded by colic.
Back. Lumbago, alternating with headache. Pressure and heaviness in the sacral region while sitting; better from motion.
Generalities. Backache. (Belladonna, Cimic., Nux v., Pulsatilla). Extreme prostration with perspiration (Cinchona). Pains of short duration. Disinclination to move or to go into the open air, though there is relief from so doing.
Skin. Golden-colored.
Aggravation. In the afternoon and evening.
Amelioration. From discharge of flatus; in the open air; cold water relieves the haemorrhoids.
Conditions. In phlegmatic, indolent people. In old people. In women of nervous, relaxed phlegmatic habits, especially when near the climacteric period.
Compare. AEsc., Berberis, Collins, Croton tiglium, Coloc., Iris., Lycopodium, Nux v., Podophyllum, Pulsatilla, Sulphur
Antidotes. Sulph., Mustard., Vinegar, Vegetable acids, Camph. relieves for awhile.
THERAPEUTICS.
Aloe is of great value in dysentery, diarrhoea, and haemorrhoids, when the above characteristic symptoms are present. Also in atonic conditions of the uterus, haemorrhages, etc.
ALLEN CORSON COWPERTHWAITE was born at Cape May, New Jersey, May 3, 1848, son of Joseph C. and Deborah (Godfrey) Cowperthwaite. He attended medical lectures at the University of Iowa in 1867-1868, and was graduated from the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia in 1869. He practiced his profession first in Illinois, and then in Nebraska. In 1877 he became Dean and Professor of Materia Medica in the recently organized Homeopathic Department of the State University of Iowa, holding the position till 1892. In 1884 he accepted the chair of Materia Medica, Pharmacology, and Clinical Medicine in the Homeopathic Medical College of the University of Michigan. He removed to Chicago in 1892, and became Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics in the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College. From 1901 he also served as president of that College. He is the author of various works, notably "Insanity in its Medico-Legal Relations" (1876), "A Textbook of Materia Medica and Therapeutics" (1880), of "Gynecology" (1888), and of "The Practice of Medicine " (1901).