Perfumes and Their Preparation

Chapter XVIII 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	⅜ oz.
Oil of lemon	⅜ 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.