Evening star., 1902-01-30
HEALTH VALUE OF SCENTS,
Ideas of the Ancients to Which
Science is Turning Again.

Ideas of the Ancfents to Which
Science is Turning Again.
From the New York Sun. y
Science at present shows a tendency t
turn back to some of the beliefs of the an.
cfents regarding scents centuries ago
Scents We're accounted more than luxuries
odorous herbs, notably vervain, warded
off the evil eye The Mosaic ritual is full
of hyssops, nard and frankincense. Greece
set cinnamon gates to its eIysium, and
surrounded it with a scented river a hun
dred cubits broad, which souls swan
through and thereby purged themselves
Of earthly grossness.
Pliny records efghty-fve remedies de-
rived from odorous rue, forty-one whose
base was mint, thirty-two balms from
roses, twenty-one from lilies, bulb and
bloom, and seventeen medicaments strong
In the virtue of violets. Thus it appears
that the violet cure for cancer is among
the very new things that surface science
scorned because. they were so very old.
Now, say various experts, one must choose
and use perfumes with an eye or rather a
nose to health. So it is worth while to
set down the properties attributed to va
nous perfumes. Pure violet essence is
said to be especially suitable to nervous
people. But it must be obtained from the
Mowers themselves, not the chemical imi-
tauons. Chemically derived perfumes are
II,
pecially sensitive constitution
true hover scents are obtained In three
ways: First by spreading fresh blossoms
upon glass thickly smeared with pure
grease, letting them stand in the sun. and
as they wilt. replacing them until the
grease is as fragrant as the flowers; sec
ond, be repeatedly infusing fresh petals
IN Oil; and, third, by infusing them in
ether, which is then distilled to dry solid
AS this solid sells for $3.50 an ounce, it is
easy to understand why the ether process
though far and away the best is not COM
monty used But the scented grease and
spirit are never cheap. After all the scent
possible has been extracted from the grease
1t Is still fragrant enough to make the very
finest perfumed soap.
All the citrene scents, bergamot, neroli
orange-fiower water-are refreshing, and,
In degree, stimulating, If properly pre-
pared To make lasting perfume some
animal base is essential-musk, civet or
ambergrfs. IT the base is too strong it
makes the f1ower-scent curiously irritant
People who feel themselves faint in a
crowded room. are often the victims of
several scents simultaneously attacking
their nerves. A single odor, no matter how
strong, after awhile deadens the olfactory
nerves, whereas combination keeps them
active.
Hay fever, which, it is believed by some,
arises from the irritant properties of fine
odorous pollen yielded by grass and weed
nelds, is In a way type of perfume action
Scent particles in general are not strong
enough or acrid enough to set up violent
llls. None the less. they have their effect
Witness the refreshment of lavender water
when one is faint from heat or crowding.
Lavender is peculiarly suited to high strung
temperaments. 1t is soothing as well as
refreshing, without being unduly stimulat-
ing. Jasmine should always be used pure
Alone it tones and braces the whole sys-
tenn, but in almost all of its compounds is
singularly depressing. Neroli is the ex-,
Il n q nd Ar-,Tf tox1 - l.
faint essence make the scent of scents for
all who have hystericai tendencies.