Evening star., 1938-02-26
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

In Japan the sentative nose still IL
the mark Of q gentleman.
Ability to recognize and name different
kinds Of incense by odor alone Is an
aristocratic accomplishment and Is the
basis Of q game known as incense listen
ing" which has been one of the pastimes
OF the aristocracy since 1900.
We learn about 1t from the annual
report of the Oriental Division of the
Library of Congress The game is PLAYED
with ten varieties of incense. each wrap
ped IN q neat package and numbered
The host kindles them one by one In a
censer, but leaves one unlighted The
guests inhale the perfume of each and
memorize its particular scent. The
packages are then reshuffed and the
host kindles all ten of them In turn
Each guest writes on his score card the
number of the incense in the order in
which each was first lighted, the tenth
package, previously unopened, being
identified merely by the unfamiliar quail
ity Of its fragrance.
At the close Of the game the score
Of each guest is entered in the book of
the society holding the contest In the
course OF the game the olfactory nerves
are likely to become somewhat numbered
but sensitivity Is partly restored by
washing the mouth out at intervals with
pure vinegar.
1t seems that the game is getting q
little less popular these days and q
Toxic gentleman named Keifu Kinoshita
has written q book about it with pictures
OF the very elaborate incense boxes which
men used to carry around with them
The Library OF Congress has Just gotten
one Of the 600 copies which he printed.
Almost simultaneously with this report
comes q release from the American
Chemical Society complaining of the
utter confusion of odors and tastes in
America, where nobody has really ever
learned to smell or pay any serious
attention to the art.
Years of patient labor and the CO.
operation Of huge numbers of noses"
will be required to bring order out of
the confusion, the release says.
There are few fields afYording 50
great an opportunity for the exercise
Of special talents, and the rewards for
accomplishment include renown, in view
Of the extraordinary influence of these
sensations on human emotions and ac-
tastes and smells at their disposal for
comparison have developed individual
systems Of naming based on similarities,
but even these are SO far incapable of
the requisite exactness.
An alcoholic odor, for example, may
mean one similar to that of ethanol, but
1t may with equal logic be intended to
suggest any one Of dozen other alcohols
whose Characteristic aromas are quite
different. Probably the reason for this
chaotic condition Is the vital role Of
personal idiosyncrasy in human noses
and palates. OF the five human senses,
only TASTE and smell have not vet
yielded to scientific classification"
-
Travelling in these Coaches can neither
prove advantageous to Mems Health or
Business: For, what advantage Is 1t to
mans Health, to be called out Of their
Beds into these Coaches, an hour before
day In the morning, to be hurried in
them from place to place, till one hour,
two. or three within night; insomuch
that after sitting all day In the Summer
time stided with heat, and choked with
dust; or the Winter time starving and
freezing with the cold, or choked with
althy Foss, they are often brought into
their Inns by Torchlight, when 1t is too
late to sit up to get . Supper; and next
morning they are forced into the Coach
20 early that they can get no Breakfast.
What addition II this to mems Health
o. Business, to ride al day with strangers,
oStttnes sack, ancient. diseased psfsons