Common Scent Stories

OLFACTORY SENSE IN ANIMALS IS HIGHLYto work in industry and the mines centuries ago, live
DEVELOPEDfree of tuberculosis and lung disease.
Humans have benefited in many ways from theCassia flowers, that possess the scent of violets,
highly tuned natural sense of smell possessed bymake the breath of one who inhales it, smell of garlic.
dogs. Some breeds are particularly suitable for trainingThe scientist, Sawyer, thinks there must be some
and have been successful in serving as 'sniffer dogs'connecting link between these two scents. Yet
working in various areas. One is in border control inanother flower joins in - the Lily of Buenos Ares
restricting importation of drugs through enlistment offlower has an exquisite scent of violets until it is
enthusiastic beadle dogs that have a well trainedcrushed and then it too, smells of garlic!
natural talent but also appear to enjoy their work.EACH PERSON'S SENSE DIFFERENT
Another is the work in forensics and police work,Many perfumes are extracted by the process of
made known to the public through the TV showcrushing called maceration. The plant henna has an
'Inspector Rex', a well loved dog hero of the Alsatianexquisite scent until it is crushed, and then it
breed. In reality many dogs are trained in police workbecomes almost unpleasant. Those who wish to
for the purpose of tracking criminality. There areenjoy it as a personal perfume then only use it in its
other breeds that can locate illness and abnormalfresh form.
conditions in human beings and prove invaluable inIf the scent could be taken as a true reflection of
early detection of cancer and other diseases.the plant's nature it would make our understanding
PLANTS FOR PERFUMEeasier. But we cannot take for granted that a sweet
Plants provide our main source of aromatic resins andsmelling plant is sweet by nature, as a food, a
essential oils. There are an estimated 80,000 plantperfume or as a remedy. Nor is the reverse true, as
species in the world. Yet, pleasantly perfumed plantsin the case of the putrid smelling fruit that so many
are rare and of the 42,000 plants calculated to inhabitpeople enjoy in taste as a 'divine fruit', the Durian.
Europe, only about one tenth of them have aMany would describe that it 'stinks like hell and tastes
pleasant perfume. Possibly the same result will belike heaven'! It must be that our human taste
found worldwide. The 21st century will see anperception is what changes, one person from
extension of research into plants of all continents andanother.
hopefully, the cultivation of many rare scented onesPOISONOUS PERFUMES
that will extend our range of perfumes.Not all perfumes are pleasant or have a positive
COLORS OF PERFUMED FLOWERSinfluence upon us. Aside from perfumed flowers to
Nature seems to have 'favorites'. Her handiwork haswhich some of us may have an aversion, there are
produced a domination of certain colors in flowerssome scents of poisonous flowers that have been
throughout the world. At present botanists observeknown to have been used as a means of sedation,
that the red and yellows outnumber the blues andor seduction in order cause a person to swoon in
purples. Scented flowers with orange, brownish ororder to more easily inflict harm upon them such as
green colored flowers are few. Those that dominatethe Datura flower.
with their fragrance are the white flowered plants. OfFor deliberate employment of fatal toxic scents and
next importance are the yellow, then the red flowers.perfumes Catherine de Medici is well known.With the
NIGHT AND DAY PERFUMED PLANTShelp of her infamous perfumer Rene, she concocted
In nature we have changes of scent that can seemspecial lethal perfumes that were used as poisons to
dramatic. To some extent it must be that differentkill the unwanted, and the unwary!
times of the day or night attract the particularThere are natural aromas from which we instinctively
insects or creatures upon which they depend forprotect ourselves, unconsciously aware that to inhale
pollination. Because of the different conditions thatthem will not be to our benefit. In addition we must
intensify plants scents, we must be sure to learn ofbe now aware of the many industrial chemicals and
their habits in order to have maximum enjoymentsmells that are harmful to brain and body and cause
from their cultivation in our gardens.disease.
Some flowers are without perfume in the day but atPERFUME OF SAINTS
night exude a potent perfume. Strongly scentedAccounts are not uncommon of extraordinary and
cestrum and port wine magnolias are definitelybeautiful perfumes around the bodies of saints. This is
nocturnal perfumes. Sweet peas and petunias areoften referred to as 'the odour of sanctity' and is
best scented in warm daytime conditions. Otheroften associated with a body that remains incorrupt
flowers give forth their best scent in the middle offor an unusually long period of time.
the day. Yet there are those that exude perfumeThere are many accounts of people becoming aware
constantly! And the perplexing question comes toof delicate perfumes in sanctified environments, in
mind - can we exhaust the flowers if we inhale theirtheir private meditations or in the presence of
scent too much?exceptional spiritual humans or divine beings.
MYSTERIESMYSTERY OF CREATION OF PERFUMES
It has now been established that flowers and livingThe Indian adept Vishudandha, is reported through
plants exude perfume in waves and cycles. But therereliable witnesses as having an extraordinary ability to
is much that remains nature's secret. Mystic legendutilize the sun's rays to materialize any perfume an
tells that the spirit of the flower is responsible foronlooker would request. He used only a simple
controlling the perfume and who are we to believemagnifying glass and the handkerchief of the
otherwise? Sometimes botanists record strangeonlooker. After concentrating for a few minutes he
happenings... an American perennial, known as thewould return the handkerchief to its owner, and it
Musk Plant Mimulus moschatus perplexed botanistswould be filled with the requested perfume! This, in
when the plants all over the world suddenly andaddition to his wisdom, earned him a reputation as
simultaneously lost their perfume. Even plants in the'the perfumed saint"- he who could manifest beautiful
wild lost their scent at this time. It remains a botanicalperfumes from out of the air.
mystery to this day.BODY CHEMISTRY CAN ALTER PERFUME
ELUSIVE NATURE OF VIOLET SCENTScents can alter with temperature, atmospheric
One's enjoyment of the perfume of the violet flowerinfluences and chemical alterations. In toilet perfumery
is fleeting because of a substance within the violetthis is well known. It is allowed that skin perfumes
flower called ionone that inhibits our sense of smell. Itare bound to alter with a woman's health and
seems that the flower does not lose fragrance - wechanging conditions. Knowing this, most beauty clinics
lose our perception and must take a few breaths toand perfumers will recommend sample applications
recover before enjoying another sweet sniff!before selection and purchase of the ideal personal
GARLIC SCENTperfume.
This as a food ingredient is much loved andPERSONAL PERFUMES SHARED
appreciated in cooking. Usually we are not asPerhaps one of the strangest and regrettable
sensitive to its potent odor however, when we areaspects of the sense of smell is when scents are
all sharing the same meal. However, there are someused as a personal perfume. Soon after we apply a
who find any garlic is obnoxious and the odor socologne, our olfactory sense becomes dulled through
objectionable that they do not like its smell at anyfamiliarity and after a very short few minutes we are
time.usually no longer aware of the perfume we have
An old cottage remedy for lung problems of childrenconsciously applied. As we lose our sensitivity to our
was to place crushed garlic in their socks whilst theypersonal toilet perfume, we must remember that
undertook normal activities of the day. At the end ofothers not be so desensitized and as recipients will be
the day the putrid garlic was removed and by thatacutely aware, sometimes to their disadvantage, but
time, the breath of the child would reek of garlic. Thehopefully to their added pleasure, of our gift as they
method was claimed to help many children enslavedinhale intermittent wafts of delight!