The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-17


sion was called to order by its presi-
dent. DR.. Eugene Bingham.
There We're not as many members
present as usual. but the attendance
or visitors was much larger. After
the regular business of the club. the
address of the evening was given by
Pr. T. L. Harding on the subject OF
"Perfumery," The paper was most In
teresttng and instructive to the chem
lists and the others present. The next
meeting of the club will be on Friday,
DR.. IIardiing's Address.
DIR. Harding's address on "Perfum-
eryT r,wS was. In part, as I, follows o:u, .s.n
including all the psychological ideas
resulting from impressions induced by
gaseous emanations, or the finely sub
state 1f
perfume, and odor. in one category:
aroma, SAVIOR and scent in another,
and stencil In a class by itself. Odor
cense: perfume is the restricted term
applied to perfumery; and fragrance
is the high note in the scale of smell
perception and relates to the smell of
undue familiarity. and a perfume a
caress to the nostrils; caresses and per-
fumes are matters of taste; some like
them soft and some like them strong;
one Is satisfied with a delicate touch;
another wants smack,
"Perfumery has been N use, from
prehistoric times. and was luxury
Egypt. and Alexandria contained So
called perfumery factories. and the
Bible has many references to its use.
THE Arabians made decided adj
cry, and it is a historical fact that
the returning Crusaders brought per-
fumery into general use in Europe.
The year 1900 seems to mark the
nf 0{u1
and the. skilled and artistic combina-
ton of odors into harmonious
whole. uniting delicacy with perma-
nency.
Modern Pcrfumery.
THE art of modern perfumery is
realm OF flowers, there are eight
primary flower odors The perfumer
eor ad the ths apees 70 give nS
vidual character and then adds a fiXa-
tive to give stability.
THE, materials for perfumery are
may be divided al in toet the "s natural and
artificial. The natural may be sub
divided into the animal and vegetable
lderivations, while the artificial include
the. synthetic compounds or the ami
castor and ambergris, and of the
vegetable substances,we have essential
oils. balsamic resins. aromatic gums.
odoriferous woods and flower extracts.
"Anbergris Is a decomposition pro
duet from the focal matter of the
sperm whale, and is very scarce and
expensive.
'Civet is the unctuous secretion OBJ
tanned from. the pouch Of the civet deer
OF Asia. Musk is obtained from the
pod or sac of the musk on or musk
deer, of Central Asia. All of these
synthetic substances,
THE odoriferous substances obtain
ed from plants are of most interest
climate, soil. rainfall and plant food
Inll have an important bearing on the
amount and quality OF the perfume of
| plants.
and resins Is simple, and the eXtrae-
ton of the odoriferous principle is
accomplished by, means OF various
solvents, alcohols. benzoates, ether,
vacuo Essential oils are obtained by
use of solvents, distilled or expressed
and some very refractory flowers are
subjected to the process of enfleurage
dry petals Of flowers upon glass plates,
covered with u purified fat, and en-
p15sinE them Pm to the sun Ths f 3n9y Is
arc removed, ana fresh peeais placed
! on the plates unti right degree OF
!, concentration Is obtained The fat
! Is then melted into the proper reeep-
| tucle and this constitutes pomade.
These pomades are extracted with alco-
hol. and these extracts constitute the
essences of the perfumer's art.
| Process OF Extraction.
| "In 1893 u process of extracting the
doors from flowers was innuguratedt in
llriance by means Of light petroleum
ether, which Is afterwards carefully
evaporated and the resultant called
concrete, which. when dissolved In al
cohol, also forms essences.
'rrhe chemical manufacture of syn
| thatic substances used In perfumes
dates from, 1900. and tho results to-
| day are marvellous, But Vt must Nbe
borne in mind that synthetics are aux
! Hilary to- and not primary, IN per-