THE TIMELESS APOTHECARY – AROMATHERAPY
It was a magnificent day of course, as it should, being the young princess’ wedding day. The couple were enjoying a leisurely boat ride, in the brilliant sunlight, on the canal surrounding the castle. In honour of the day it was strewn with rose petals. The bride let her hand touch the water and when she withdrew it she gasped with delight – her hand was covered with rose oil. Well, that is an anecdotal (?) description of how distillation of essential oils first was discovered. How beautiful!
The use of plants and macerated oils has been known as long as mankind. The actual word perfume comes from the Latin "per fumum", through the smoke, indicating the burning of various wood and incense for various purposes, to create certain states. One of the earliest written evidence that perfume was readily available to the common man and woman comes from the Indian epic of 2000BC, the Ramayana, describing Rama returning from exile and being greeted by ……bath attendants, wine sellers, perfumers and incense sellers. Other evidence is available in Materia Medicas from Egypt, China and India Theophrastus of Greece is often called the first true aromatherapist, having written the first treatise on scent, "Concerning Odours" , containing an elaborate inventory of aromatics as well as their therapeutic uses. The Egyptians believed in the transmigration of the soul. Being born as a human, the soul started a journey over 3000 years, passing successively through all creatures of the earth, water and air, before returning to the human state again. That’s why the embalming of the body was so important, so that you would have a decent body to come back to (and if Frankincense and Myrrh could preserve a body for 3000 years, what effect do you think they would have in your skin care regime…?) The Arabs mixed musk with the mortar used to build mosques so they would give off a heavenly scent.
The discovery of distillation is credited to the Persian physician and alchemist Avicenna, a genius, "Prince of Physicians", appointed the physician of one of the Persian princes at the age of 17! It is said his first successful distillation was made from Rosa Centifolia. around the year 1000AD
The crusaders brought perfumes and essences to Europe which enhanced the quality of life as well as the chance of survival in the plague stricken Medieval European countries. Pine, cypress and cedarwood were burned in the streets, sick rooms and hospitals. The perfumers are said to be the only group of people not affected by the plague. Do you doubt that Thomas? Well, the other day a Sydney surgeon made world news with a new "drug" effective on golden staph that might even defeat antibiotic resistant hospital acquired infection. What’s the drug? A blend of manly eucalyptus and tea tree essential oils.
Modern, scientific study of the therapeutic use of essential oils was started by the French chemist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse around 1928. He had an explosion in his lab, burned his arm badly and thrust it into what happened to be next to him – a container of lavender essential oil. He was amazed by the effect – the pain abated, he didn’t get the usual redness and blisters and the wound healed quickly without leaving a scar.
"The way to health is to have an aromatic bath and scented massage every day". My advertising? No, the words of the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates in the 4th century BC. And that closes the circle. On 3rd of July 2001, the federal Health Minister opened Australia’s first holistic, traditional hospital. The Swinburne University Hospital will incorporate therapies like yoga, meditation, massage, aromatherapy and acupuncture to complement conventional medicine. How exciting is that!!
The timeless apothecary – aromatherapy!
Anna Dall, clin aromatherapist (MIFA), runs Timeline Natural Therapies Clinic in Maleny, together with her husband Les. (ph 07 5435 2332) She is also the Publicity Officer of the International Federation of Aromatherapists (Aust Branch).
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