The Art of Perfumery, and Methods of Obtaining the Odors of Plants: With Instructions for the Manufacture of Perfumes for the Handkerchief, Scented Powders, Odorous Vinegars, Dentifrices, Pomatums, Cosmetics, Perfumed Soap, Etc., to which is Added an Appendix on Preparing Artificial Fruit-Essences, Etc.Piesse, G. W. Septimus (George William Septimus)
History
The Art of Perfumery, and Methods of Obtaining the Odors of Plants: With Instructions for the Manufacture of Perfumes for the Handkerchief, Scented Powders, Odorous Vinegars, Dentifrices, Pomatums, Cosmetics, Perfumed Soap, Etc., to which is Added an Appendix on Preparing Artificial Fruit-Essences, Etc.
Piesse, G. W. Septimus (George William Septimus)
Cosmetics; Perfumes
As this mixture must not go into the ordinary metallic tincture press,
for the obvious reason of the chemical action that would ensue, it is
best to drain as much of the liquor away as we can, by means of a common
funnel, and then to save the residue from the interstices of the herbs,
by tying them up in a linen cloth, and subjecting them to pressure by
means of an ordinary lemon-squeezer, or similar device.
VINAIGRE A LA ROSE.
Concentrated acetic acid, 1 oz.
Otto of roses, 1/2 drachm.
Well shaken together.
It is obvious that vinegars differently perfumed may be made in a
similar manner to the above, by using other ottos in place of the otto
of roses. All these concentrated vinegars are used in the same way as
perfumed ammonia, that is, by pouring three or four drachms into an
ornamental "smelling" bottle, previously filled with crystals of
sulphate of potash, which forms the "sel de vinaigre" of the shops; or
upon sponge into little silver boxes, called vinaigrettes, from their
French origin. The use of these vinegars had their origin in the
presumption of keeping those who carried them from the effects of
infectious disease, doubtless springing out of the story of the "four
thieves' vinegar," which is thus rendered in Lewis's Dispensatory:
"It is said that during the plague at Marseilles, four persons, by the
use of this preservative, attended, unhurt, multitudes of those that
were affected; that under the color of these services, they robbed both
the sick and the dead; and that being afterwards apprehended, one of
them saved himself from the gallows by disclosing the composition of the
prophylactic (a very likely story!!), which was as follows:--
VINAIGRE DES QUATRE VOLEURS, OR FOUR THIEVES' VINEGAR.
Take fresh tops of common wormwood, Roman
wormwood, rosemary, sage, mint, and rue, of
each, 3/4 oz.
Lavender flowers, 1 oz.
Garlic, calamus aromaticus, cinnamon, cloves,
and nutmeg, each, 1 drachm.
Camphor, 1/2 oz.
Alcohol or brandy, 1 oz.
Strong vinegar, 4 pints.
Digest all the materials, except the camphor and spirit, in a closely
covered vessel for a fortnight, at a summer heat; then express and
filter the vinaigre produced, and add the camphor previously dissolved
in the brandy or spirit."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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