History of the Aloe

The considerable volume of promotional literature on ALOE has revealed that the extensive use of aloe in modern time’s dates from the observation made by the Western World that natural leaves and juice of aloe were used with dramatic success by some Japanese survivors of the nuclear explosions in 1945.

In contrast to this, aloes have been used for many centuries by people not concerned with advertising in newspaper and magazine’s, radio, cinema and television. Such publicity came much later. Aloes were spread to the New World by unsophisticated mariners who carried it aboard ship as treatment for skin injured by salt, rough ropes and canvas, and by exposure to the elements.

Missionaries spread aloes along with their faith among primitive communities.

African slaves took aloes as personal possessions with them into an unknown future.

According to carvings on the pyramids aloe had a place in the practice of hygiene and religion of ancient Egypt

Prominent Greek and Roman physicians prescribed aloes and left records of their high opinions of its value in medical practice.

Human ringworms were traditionally treated by the Xhosa with the pulped leaves and for internal worms they used a concoction of root, while the Zulu administer extracts of aloe by mouth for roundworms.

The Cape coloureds used aloe administered in this fashion for gumboils and infected teeth.

Cosmetically the Pondo people used the juice of aloe mixed with water to wash their bodies for its tonic and refreshing effect.