By Creezy Courtoy, IPF Founder and Chair, Perfume Historian and Anthropologist
“It is universally recognized that the first seeds of the Pharmaceutical Art began to germinate on the soil of the Orient, in these lands fertile in plants with sweet scents and fragrant resins” PHILIPPE “Histoire des Apothicaires” 1853
In the West, the growing influence of the Church, preserving the Roman medical tradition could not provide the necessary elements for progress in the art of healing.
We had to wait for new ideas from the East to witness an upheaval in interior notions in the 11th century.
Arabian doctors influenced Pharmacy, botanical knowledge developed and aromatic substances from the East arrived in the West. Amber and musk in particular: the smoke of amber has long been used to prevent epileptic crisis.
At the same time, the use of the still allowed the preparation of essences of rosemary, cedar, bitter almonds...
We had to wait for new ideas from the East to witness an upheaval in interior notions in the 11th century.
Arabian doctors influenced Pharmacy, botanical knowledge developed and aromatic substances from the East arrived in the West. Amber and musk in particular: the smoke of amber has long been used to prevent epileptic crisis.
At the same time, the use of the still allowed the preparation of essences of rosemary, cedar, bitter almonds...
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The science of the Moors of Spain and the recipes of their doctors were the basis of the famous School of Salerno which had an enormous influence in the Middle Ages.
Jean de Milan in 1066, brought together under the title of “Aphorisines” all the precepts of the School. Certain aromatic plants had, in his eyes, incredible properties. This is the case of fragrant sage which received the name of Orvale, because it was worth gold.
This meeting between East and West was to allow the pharmacy to free itself from medical tutelage, by gradually abandoning empirical practices, to form a particularly active and important corporation. However, we will have to wait several centuries before the art of healing also becomes a science.
It is important here to mention the role of Perfume in Medicine.
The use of fumigations for preventive or curative purposes.
MAUGUET, in his “Treatise on the Plague”, describes the carnival costume that those who approached the plague victims had to wear:
“It is made in Moroccan Leather from the Levant, the mask and eyes of crystal and a long nose filled with perfumes. The beak-shaped nose has only two holes, one on each side of the place of the natural nose openings, but it can be enough for breathing, and it is to carry with the air we breathe the impression of the drugs contained further in the beak”
Jean de Milan in 1066, brought together under the title of “Aphorisines” all the precepts of the School. Certain aromatic plants had, in his eyes, incredible properties. This is the case of fragrant sage which received the name of Orvale, because it was worth gold.
This meeting between East and West was to allow the pharmacy to free itself from medical tutelage, by gradually abandoning empirical practices, to form a particularly active and important corporation. However, we will have to wait several centuries before the art of healing also becomes a science.
It is important here to mention the role of Perfume in Medicine.
The use of fumigations for preventive or curative purposes.
MAUGUET, in his “Treatise on the Plague”, describes the carnival costume that those who approached the plague victims had to wear:
“It is made in Moroccan Leather from the Levant, the mask and eyes of crystal and a long nose filled with perfumes. The beak-shaped nose has only two holes, one on each side of the place of the natural nose openings, but it can be enough for breathing, and it is to carry with the air we breathe the impression of the drugs contained further in the beak”
Pierre de SORDES, de Figéac wrote a treatise which he dedicated to Cardinal de Sourdis, Archbishop of Aquitaine, saying "that one preserved oneself from infection by avoiding fatigue, anger, intemperance... by perfuming one's clothes with laurel, marjoram, sage, fennel, juniper wood, myrrh, frankincense, etc.
As for Michel de NOSTRE-DAME, famous doctor-perfumer of the Renaissance (better known under the name of Nostradamus) who invented a scented powder “of perfect beauty and excellence” during the epidemic of the plague of Aix, of 1546.
As for Michel de NOSTRE-DAME, famous doctor-perfumer of the Renaissance (better known under the name of Nostradamus) who invented a scented powder “of perfect beauty and excellence” during the epidemic of the plague of Aix, of 1546.
Here is the formula:
“Take sawdust of the greenest cypress, one ounce;
Of Florence iris, six ounces;
Of cloves, three drams;
Of calamus, three drams;
Of aloe wood, six drams;
Take three or four hundred ingrown red roses, all fresh picked before the dew,
Pound the whole thing in a mortar;
Make small pills and dry in the shade;
Add musk and amber according to your will and power”
I will not add the whole listing of remedies used here, but most of them used fragrances and olfaction.
In 1626 Jean PARÉ, apothecary of the Duchess of Lorraine, provided her with iris powder, rose oil, lavender soap...
PART 2
Next Month: Perfumes considered as secret remedies from the end of the 17th century to the Law of Germinal
“Take sawdust of the greenest cypress, one ounce;
Of Florence iris, six ounces;
Of cloves, three drams;
Of calamus, three drams;
Of aloe wood, six drams;
Take three or four hundred ingrown red roses, all fresh picked before the dew,
Pound the whole thing in a mortar;
Make small pills and dry in the shade;
Add musk and amber according to your will and power”
I will not add the whole listing of remedies used here, but most of them used fragrances and olfaction.
In 1626 Jean PARÉ, apothecary of the Duchess of Lorraine, provided her with iris powder, rose oil, lavender soap...
PART 2
Next Month: Perfumes considered as secret remedies from the end of the 17th century to the Law of Germinal
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