Of herbe Aloë, or Sea Houseleeke.
The description.
HEarbe Aloës hath leaues like those of Sea Onion, very long, broade, smooth, thicke, bending backwardes, notched in the edges, set with certaine little blunt prickles, full of tough and clammie iuice like the leaues of Houseleeke. The stalke, as Dioscorides saith, is like to the stalke of Affodill: the flower is whitish: the seede like that of Affodill: the roote is single, of the fashion of a thicke pile thrust into the ground. The whole herbe is extreme bitter, so is the iuice also that is gathered thereof. There is another Herbe Aloë that groweth likewise in diuers prouinces of America, the leaues whereof are broader, greater, and sharpe pointed like a thorne, and hath on the edges farre harder prickles.
The place.
This plant groweth very plentifully in India, & in Arabia, Cœlosyria, & Egypt: from whence the iuice put into skins is brought into Europe. It groweth also, as Dioscorides writeth, in Asia on the sea coasts, and in Andros, but not verie fit for iuice to be drawne out. It is likewise founde in Apulia and in diuers places of Granado and Andalusia, in Spaine not from the sea: the iuice of this also is vnprofitable.
The time.
The herbe is alwaies greene, and likewise sendeth foorth braunches, though it remaine out of the earth, especially if the roote be couered with lome, & now & then watered: for so being hanged on the feelings and vpper posts of dining roomes, it doth not onely continue a long time greene, but it also groweth and bringeth foorth new leaues: for it must haue a warme place in winter time, by reason it pineth away if it be frozen. humors, especially in those bodies that are furcharged with surfetting, either of meate or drinke, and whose bodies are fully replete with humors, faring daintily, and wanting exercise. This Aloës I say, taken in a small quantitie after supper in a stewed prune, or in water the quantitie of two drams in the morning, is a most soueraigne medicine for to comfort the stomacke, and to clense and driue foorth all superfluous humors. Some vse to mixe the same with Cinnamon, Ginger, and Mace, for the purpose aboue said; and for the iaundies, spitting of blood, and all extraordinarie issues of blood. The same vsed in vlcers, especially those of the secret parts or fundament, or made into powder, and strawed on fresh woundes, it staieth the blood, and healeth the same, as those vlcers before spoken of. The same taken inwardly causeth the Hemorrhoides to bleede, and being laid thereon it causeth them to cease bleeding.
Text in Gerard's own spelling (the long s is printed as s), transcribed by the Source Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). A chapter may run onto pages not yet transcribed. Gerard wrote within Galenic medicine; nothing here is advice.