THE PERFUMES USED FOR FUMIGATION.
According to the use made of them, perfumes for fumigation may be
divided into two groups: those which develop their fragrance on being
burned, and those which do so on being merely heated. The former group
includes pastils and ribbons, the latter fumigating powders and waters.
FUMIGATING PASTILS.
_French_—Pastilles fumigatoires; _German_—Räucherkerzen.
Pastils consist in the main of charcoal to which enough saltpetre is
added to make the lighted mass glow continuously and leave a pure
white ash. To this mass are added various aromatic substances which are
gradually volatilized by the heat and fill the surrounding air with
their perfume. It is important to observe that only ordinary saltpetre
(nitrate of potassium) is to be used for this purpose, and not the
so-called Chili saltpetre (nitrate of sodium) which becomes moist in
the air. For ordinary pastils finely rasped fragrant woods such as
cedar or santal are frequently employed. During the slow combustion,
however, the wood gives off products of a pungent or disagreeable
odor such as acetic acid and empyreumatic products, which lessen the
fragrance. Fine pastils are composed of resins and essential oils and
are usually formed into cones two-fifths to four-fifths of an inch
high, by being pressed in metal moulds.
Fumigating pastils are manufactured as follows. Each solid ingredient
is finely powdered by itself, and the necessary quantities are then put
into a wide porcelain dish and intimately mixed with a flat spatula.
In order to confine the dust, the dish is covered with a cloth during
this operation. The mixture being completed, the essential oils are
added, together with enough mucilage of acacia to form a plastic mass
to be kneaded with the pestle, and which after drying will have a
sufficiently firm consistence.
PASTILLES ORIENTALES.
Charcoal 1½ lb.
Saltpetre 3½ oz.
Benzoin ½ lb.
Powdered amber 3½ oz.
Tolu balsam 2¾ oz.
The charcoal for this and all other pastils should be made from soft
woods (willow, poplar, etc.). The characteristic of these pastils is
the amber they contain (the offal from manufactories is used) and which
on ignition gives off a peculiar odor much prized in the Orient,
rather than in Europe or America.
PASTILLES DU SÉRAIL.
Charcoal 1½ lb.
Saltpetre 3½ oz.
Benzoin ½ lb.
Santal wood 5½ oz.
Opium 1¾ oz.
Tolu balsam 2¾ oz.
This formula is here given as usually quoted. It may be stated,
however, that the opium may be omitted entirely, as it neither
contributes to the fragrance, nor produces, by being burned in this
manner, any of the supposed exhilarating or intoxicating effects which
it may produce when used in other forms or employed in other ways.
BAGUETTES ENCENSOIRES (FUMIGATING PENCILS).
Benzoin 14 oz.
Charcoal 1¾ oz.
Peru balsam 1 oz.
Storax 2 oz.
Shellac 3½ oz.
Olibanum 5½ oz.
Civet 75 grains.
Oil of bergamot 1 oz.
Oil of orange peel 1 oz.
Oil of santal ¾ oz.
Melt the benzoin, charcoal, shellac, and olibanum in a bright iron pan
at the lowest possible heat; take the pan from the fire and add the
other ingredients, heat being again applied from time to time to keep
the mass in a liquid state. The plastic mass is rolled out on a marble
slab into rods the thickness of a lead pencil. Such a pencil need be
but lightly passed over a hot surface to volatilize the aromatics it
contains.
PASTILLES ODORIFÉRANTES.
Charcoal 2 lb.
Saltpetre 3½ oz.
Benzoin 1½ lb.
Cloves 7 oz.
Tolu balsam 7 oz.
Vanilla 7 oz.
Vetiver root 7 oz.
Cinnamon 3½ oz.
Oil of neroli 150 grains.
Oil of santal ¾ oz.
This and the following formula give the finest mixtures for pastils.
PASTILLES ENBAUMÉES.
Charcoal 2 lb.
Saltpetre 2¾ oz.
Benzoic acid, sublimed 1 lb.
Musk 15 grains.
Civet 15 grains.
Oil of lemon grass 30 grains.
Oil of lavender 15 grains.
Oil of clove 15 grains.
Oil of thyme 30 grains.
Oil of cinnamon 30 grains.
POUDRE D’ENCENS (INCENSE POWDER).
Benzoin ½ lb.
Cascarilla ½ lb.
Musk 15 grains.
Santal wood 1 lb.
Saltpetre 3½ oz.
Vetiver root 5½ oz.
Olibanum 1 lb.
Cinnamon 5½ oz.
Dissolve the saltpetre in water, saturate the powders with the
solution, dry the mass, and again reduce it to powder. This powder,
strewn on a warm surface such as the top of a stove, takes fire
spontaneously and gradually disappears.
FUMIGATING PAPERS AND WICKS (BRUGES RIBBONS).
_French_—Papier à fumigations. Ruban de Bruges;
_German_—Räucherpapiere. Räucherbänder.
Fumigating papers are strips impregnated with substances which become
fragrant on being heated; such a strip need merely be placed on a stove
or held over a flame in order to perfume a whole room. Fumigating
papers are divided into two groups: those meant to be burned, and those
meant to be used repeatedly. The former, before being treated with
aromatics, are dipped into saltpetre solution; the latter, in order to
render them incombustible, are first dipped into a hot alum solution so
that they are only charred by a strong heat, but not entirely consumed.
A. INFLAMMABLE FUMIGATING PAPER.
Papier Fumigatoire Inflammable.
The paper is dipped into a solution of 3½ to 5½ ounces of saltpetre in
water; after drying it is immersed in a strong tincture of benzoin or
olibanum and again dried. An excellent paper is made according to the
following formula:
Benzoin 5½ oz.
Santal wood 3½ oz.
Olibanum 3½ oz.
Oil of lemon grass 150 grains.
Essence of vetiver 1¾ oz.
Alcohol. 1 qt.
For use, the paper is touched with a red-hot substance, not a flame. It
begins to glow at once without bursting into flame, giving off numerous
sparks and a pleasant odor.
B. NON-INFLAMMABLE FUMIGATING PAPER.
Papier Fumigatoire Permanent.
This paper is prepared by dipping it in a hot solution of 3½ oz. of
alum in one quart of water; after drying, it is saturated with the
following mixture:
Benzoin 7 oz.
Tolu balsam 7 oz.
Tincture of tonka 7 oz.
Essence of vetiver 7 oz.
Alcohol 20 fl. oz.
This paper, when heated, diffuses a very pleasant odor and can be used
repeatedly. It does not burn, and strong heat only chars it. Some
manufacturers make inferior fumigating papers by dipping the alum paper
simply in melted benzoin or olibanum.
C. FUMIGATING RIBBONS
are nothing but fine flat lamp wicks treated first with saltpetre
solution and then with the preceding mixture. The wick is rolled up and
placed in a vessel provided with a lamp burner. It is inserted in the
burner like any other wick and when lighted burns down to the metal and
goes out unless screwed up higher. Fumigating vessels provided with
these wicks are very practical because, if artistic in form, they form
quite an ornament to the room and can be instantly set in operation. A
French formula gives the following mixture for saturating the wicks:
Benzoin 1 lb.
Musk ¾ oz.
Myrrh 3½ oz.
Tolu balsam 3½ oz.
Tincture of orris root 1 pint.
Oil of rose 15 grains.
FUMIGATING WATERS AND VINEGARS (EAUX ENCENSOIRES, VINAIGRES
ENCENSOIRES).
These fluids are nothing but strong solutions of various aromatics in
alcohol, a few drops of which suffice, if evaporated on a warm plate,
to perfume a large room. The following is a good formula for fumigating
water.
Benzoin 7 oz.
Cascarilla 3½ oz.
Cardamoms 3½ oz.
Mace 1¾ oz.
Musk 150 grains.
Peru balsam 1¾ oz.
Storax 1¾ oz.
Tolu balsam 1¾ oz.
Olibanum 3½ oz.
Orris root 14 oz.
Civet 150 grains.
Cinnamon 7 oz.
Oil of bergamot 1½ oz.
Oil of lemon 1½ oz.
Oil of geranium ¾ oz.
Oil of lavender ¾ oz.
Oil of neroli 150 grains.
Alcohol 2 qts.
Of course, this liquid must be filtered after prolonged maceration.
By adding to it 1½ oz. of glacial acetic acid we obtain the so-called
fumigating vinegar which is very useful for expelling bad odors.
FUMIGATING POWDERS (POUDRES ENCENSOIRES).
These powders which need only to be heated in order to diffuse one
of the most pleasant odors, are easily prepared by intimately mixing
the ground solids with the oils by means of a spatula. We add three
renowned formulas for the manufacture of such powders.
A. POUDRE IMPÉRIALE.
Benzoin 3½ oz.
Cascarilla 1¾ oz.
Lavender 1¾ oz.
Rose leaves 1¾ oz.
Santal wood 1¾ oz.
Olibanum 3½ oz.
Orris root 3½ oz.
Cinnamon 1¾ oz.
Oil of lemon 75 grains.
Oil of clove 30 grains.
Oil of patchouly 15 grains.
B. POUDRE DE LA REINE.
Benzoin 7 oz.
Cedar wood 1 lb.
Cinnamon 14 oz.
Lavender 10½ oz.
Rose leaves 10½ oz.
Patchouly herb 3½ oz.
Vetiver root 3½ oz.
Civet 150 grains.
Oil of bergamot ¾ oz.
Oil of lemon ¾ oz.
Oil of neroli 150 grains.
Oil of clove 150 grains.
C. POUDRE ROYALE.
Cinnamon ½ lb.
Cloves ½ lb.
Orris root 12½ oz.
Storax 12½ oz.
Lavender 1 lb.
Oil of clove ⅜ oz.
Oil of lavender ⅜ oz.
Oil of bergamot ⅛ oz.
Oil of lemon ⅛ oz.
APPENDIX.
SOME SPECIALTIES.
Besides the preparations enumerated in the preceding pages, we find
in perfumery some products which are in favor on account of their
fragrance and are suitable for scenting ladies’ writing-desks,
sewing-baskets, boxes, and similar objects. They find their most
appropriate use in places where an aromatic odor is desired, while
there is no room for keeping the substances themselves. These must
therefore be put into a small compass, and the aromatics chosen should
be distinguished by great intensity and permanence of odor.
We subjoin a few formulas for the manufacture of such specialties, and
add the remark that besides the aromatics there given other substances
may be used in their preparation; but that the presence of benzoin,
musk, or civet, even in small amount, is always necessary, since these
substances, as above stated, not only possess an intense and permanent
odor, but have the valuable property of imparting lasting qualities to
more volatile odors.
It is a good plan, too, to keep on hand two kinds of these
specialties—one containing musk, the other none—for the reason that
the musk odor is as disagreeable to some persons as it is pleasant to
others.
SPANISH SKIN (PEAU D’ESPAGNE, SPANISCH LEDER).
The article sold under this name resembles in some respects sachets or
scent bags and is made as follows.
Take a piece of wash-leather (chamois), trim it to a square shape, and
leave it for three or four days in the following mixture:
Benzoin ½ lb.
Oil of bergamot ¾ oz.
Oil of lemon ¾ oz.
Oil of lemon grass ¾ oz.
Oil of lavender ¾ oz.
Oil of nutmeg 150 grains.
Oil of clove 150 grains.
Oil of neroli 1½ oz.
Oil of rose 1½ oz.
Oil of santal 1½ oz.
Tincture of tonka ¾ oz.
Oil of cinnamon 150 grains.
Alcohol 1 qt.
At the end of the time named remove the leather from the liquid, let it
drain, spread it on a glass plate, and when dry coat it on the rough
side, by means of a brush, with a paste prepared in a mortar from the
following ingredients:
Benzoic acid, sublimed 150 grains.
Musk 15 grains.
Civet 15 grains.
Gum acacia 1 oz.
Glycerin ¾ oz.
Water 1¾ oz.
The leather is then folded in the centre, smoothed with a paper-knife,
put under a weight, and allowed to dry. The dried leather forms the
so-called perfume skin which retains its fine odor for years. Instead
of the above alcoholic liquids any desired alcoholic perfume may be
used; especially suitable are those containing oils of lemon grass,
lavender, and rose, since they are not very volatile, and when combined
with musk and civet remain fragrant for a long time. A sufficiently
large piece of perfume skin inserted in a desk pad or placed among the
paper will make the latter very fragrant. Spanish skin is chiefly used
for this purpose, as well as for work, glove, and handkerchief boxes,
etc. It is generally inclosed in a heavy silk cover.
If leather be thought too expensive, four to six layers of
blotting-paper may be perfumed in the same way and properly inclosed.
Thin layers of cotton wadding between paper can also be thus perfumed
and used for filling pin cushions, etc.
SPANISH PASTE.
Mix the following substances intimately in a porcelain mortar, and add
water drop by drop until a doughy mass results.
Ambergris ¾ oz.
Benzoin 1½ oz.
Musk ¾ oz.
Vanilla ¾ oz.
Orris root ¾ oz.
Cinnamon ¾ oz.
Oil of bergamot 1½ oz.
Oil of rose ¾ oz.
Gum acacia 1½ oz.
Glycerin 1½ oz.
This paste, divided into pieces about the size of a hazelnut, is
used for filling the so-called cassolettes or scent boxes which are
carried in the pocket, etc., like smelling bottles. Owing to its pasty
consistence this preparation can be used for perfuming jewelry (small
quantities are inserted within the diamond settings), fine leather
goods, belts, and other articles. It is unnecessary to lengthen the
list; every practical perfumer will know what objects need perfuming.