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Aromatherapy is derived from two words. Aroma- meaning fragrance or
smell and Therapy- meaning treatment. Aromatherapy was used by the most
ancient civilizations and is reputed to be at least 6000 years old.
It is widely thought that Aromatherapy began in Egypt. A medical papyri
considered to date back to around 1555 BC contains remedies for all
types of illnesses and the methods of application are similar to the
ones used in Aromatherapy and Herbal medicine today.
The Egyptians used a method known as infusion ( this process is described
later on) to extract the oils from aromatic plants and incense was probably
one of the earliest ways of using aromatics. Frankincense was burned
at sun rise as an offering to the sun god, Ra and myrrh was offered
to the moon. The Egyptians were experts at embalming using aromatics
to help preserve flesh. The Egyptians used to be massaged with fragrant
oils after bathing . The Greeks continued the use of aromatic oils and
used them medicinally and cosmetically. A Greek physician, Pedacius
Dioscorides, wrote a book about herbal medicine and for at least 1200
years as the Western world's standard medical reference. Many of the
remedies he mentions are still in use today in Aromatherapy.
The Romans took much of their medical knowledge from the Greeks and
went on to use and improve the ability of aromatics with Rome becoming
the bathing capital of the world. After bathing they would be oiled
and massaged. The Romans started to import new aromatic products from
East India and Arabia through the opening up of trade routes.
During the crusades the knowledge of aromatic oils and perfumes spread
to the Far East and Arabia and it was a physician called Avicenna who
lived from A.D 980 to A.D. 1037 that is understood to have first used
the process known as distillation to distil essence of rose ,although
it probably took many years to perfect the process. (This process will
be described later). The Arabs also discovered how to distil alcohol
around the same time making it possible to produce perfumes without
a heavy oily base.
There is a strong possibility that the ancient Chinese civilizations
were using some form of aromatics at the same time as the Egyptians.
Shen Nung's Herbal book is the oldest surviving medical book in China
which is dated about 2700 B.C. and contains information on over 300
plants. The Chinese used aromatic herbs and burned aromatic woods and
incense to show respect to God.
Traditional Indian medicine known as ayurveda has been practiced for
more than 3000 years and it incorporates aromatic massage as one of
its main aspects. The invasions of South America by the conquistadores
brought about the discovery of more medicinal plants and aromatic oils
as the Aztecs were well known for their plant remedies and the Spanish
were amazed at the wealth of medicinal plants found in Montezuma's botanical
gardens.
The North American Indians also used aromatic oils and produced their
own herbal remedies.
It wasn't until the 19th century that scientists in Europe and Great
Britain began researching the effects of essential oils on bacteria
in humans.
A French chemist , Rene Maurice Gattefosse, began his research into
the healing powers of essential oils after burning his hand in his laboratory
and immersing in it in lavender oil and being impressed by how quickly
the burn healed. In 1937 he published a book about the anti -microbial
effects of the oils and coined the word Aromatherapy. He went on to
set up a business producing oils for use in fragrances and cosmetics.
Around the same time another Frenchman, Albert Couvreur, published a
book on the medicinal uses of essential oils.
A French medical doctor , Jean Valnet, discovered Gattefosse's research
and began experimenting with essential oils. Around the same time, Margaret
Maury, a French biochemist developed a unique method of applying these
oils to the skin with massage. Micheline Arcier, now living in London,
studied and worked with Maury and Valnet and their combined techniques
created a form of Aromatherapy now used all over the world.
Essential oils are very expensive to produce, some more so than others,
due to the labor intensive process and the quantity of the plant required
to produce the oil, Approximately 400kg of thyme would produce 1kg of
essential oil , 2000kg of rose petals to make1kg of oil , 6 tonnes of
orange blossom to produce 1kg of neroli , and 4 million jasmine flowers
to produce 1kg of jasmine absolute.
Total Cost: Rs. 0.00
