CHAPTER IX.

DRY PERFUMES.

In ancient times dry perfumes were almost exclusively used, but, independent of fumigating agents, which will be considered later on, the consumption of dry or solid perfumes is at present a limited one. Sachet powders (_poudres pour sachets_) are, however, still manufactured in large quantities. The preparation of solid perfumes with the assistance of paraffine has been recently commenced, but up to the present time such perfumes have not become of any importance. Smelling salts may also be classed among the dry perfumes.

SACHET POWDERS.--Sachet powders (_poudres pour sachets_) are generally put into silk or satin bags or into ornamental paper envelopes and are useful for perfuming clothes, drawers, trunks, desks, letter paper, etc.

The incorporation of the powders with bags or envelopes is effected by dividing them between thin layers of cotton, bringing the cotton together with the powder in fine tissue paper into the shape of the respective bag, cushion, etc., and then inclosing them in the bag or envelope.

A selection of receipts for such powders is here given. Their manufacture is not difficult; however, the weighing off of the constituents should be conscientiously done, and in mixing the powders with the volatile oils, etc., care should be had not to cause any unnecessary dust and consequent loss of powder. After mixing, the powder is passed through a sieve.

_Sachet à la rose._--Ground rose leaves, ground rose wood and pulverized starch each 50 drachms, Turkish rose oil 1½, rose-geranium oil 2½, oil of cloves 1, bergamot oil 2½, musk tincture 1.

_Sachet à la violette._--Ground orris root 125 drachms, ground lavender flowers and pulverized starch each 50, liquid orris-root oil[21] 2½, sandal-wood oil ½, musk tincture 2, extrait violette 25.

[21] The so-called liquid orris-root oil is not pure orris-root oil, but generally a distillate of orris-root with bergamot oil; there are, however, also products in which the orris root is distilled with copaiba balsam oil and cedar oil.

_Héliotrope sachet powder._--Ground lavender flowers 50 drachms, ground orris root and ground rose leaves each 25, ground benzoin 10, pulverized starch 50, bergamot oil 10, rose geranium oil 2½, oil of cloves and musk tincture each 1½, vanilla tincture 12½, extrait héliotrope 25, oil of bitter almonds 2 drops.

_Ylang-ylang sachet powder._--Ground starch 100 drachms, orris-root powder 25, ground lavender flowers 12½, ground vitivert root and ground rose wood each 25, bergamot oil 2½, ylang-ylang oil 1, tinctures of musk and of cumarin each 1½, extrait ylang-ylang 20.

_Jockey club sachet._--Ground orris root, ground rose leaves and ground rose wood each 50 drachms, ground lavender flowers 25, African rose geranium oil 5, oils of Ceylon cinnamon and bergamot each 2½, oils of cloves and cedar each 1, musk tincture 2½, civet tincture 1, extrait jockey club 22½.

_Sachet aux millefleurs._--Ground starch 50 drachms, ground orris root, ground lavender flowers, ground rose wood, and exhausted vanilla pulverized, each 50 drachms, pulverized cloves 20, bergamot oil and African geranium oil each 2½, verbena oil 1, tincture of benzoin and musk root each 5, musk tincture 5.

_Lily of the valley sachet powder._--Pulverized starch 50 drachms, ground orris root 25, ground lavender flowers and ground rose wood each 12½, ground vitivert root and ground benzoin each 25, bergamot oil 5, wintergreen oil 2, ylang-ylang oil and angelica oil each ½, bitter almond oil 2 drops, storax tincture 5 drachms, musk tincture 1½, extrait muguet 25.

_Patchouli sachet powder._--Ground patchouli leaves 100, ground rose leaves and ground lavender flowers, each 25, patchouli oil 2½, oil of cloves 1, bergamot oil and African geranium oil each 2½.

_Frangipani sachet powder._--Pulverized starch 25 drachms, ground orris root 75, ground rose leaves 50, ground lavender flowers 25, Portugal oil 5, petit-grain oil and African geranium oil, 2½, Ceylon cinnamon oil 1½, musk tincture 2½, civet tincture 1½, tinctures of cumarin and vitivert each 10.

_Victoria sachet powder._--Ground lavender flowers 50 drachms, ground rose wood and ground rose leaves each 25, ground orange peel 12½, ground benzoin 25, ground vitivert root 12½, Turkish rose oil 1, bergamot oil 2½, oils of cloves and verbena each 1, musk tincture 1½, civet tincture 1.

_Réséda sachet powder._--Ground orris root 100 drachms, ground rose leaves 50, ground rose wood 25, clove oil, African geranium oil, and bergamot oil each 2½, musk-root tincture 10, vanilla tincture 5, musk tincture 1, extrait réséda 25.

_Musk sachet powder._--Ground musk root, ground exhausted musk sacs, and ground lavender flowers, each 50 drachms, ground benzoin 25, cassia oil, palma-rose oil, and clove oil each 2½, musk tincture 22½.

_Ess-bouquet sachet powder._--Ground rose wood and ground lavender flowers each 50 drachms, ground vitivert root 25, ground opopanax 12½, ground orris root 25, bergamot oil and lemon oil each 2½, clove oil 1, Ceylon cinnamon oil 1½, African geranium oil 2½, sandal-wood oil and licari oil each 1, musk tincture 2½, civet tincture 1½, extrait ess-bouquet 25.

_New-mown hay sachet powder._--Pulverized starch 25 drachms, ground rose leaves and ground lavender flowers, each 50, ground orris root and ground benzoin, each 25, bergamot oil 5, angelica oil and Java cananga oil each 1½, tonka-bean extract 7½, musk tincture 1½, vitivert tincture 7½.

_Orange sachet powder._--Ground orange peels 100 drachms, ground lemon peels 50, ground lavender flowers 25, Portugal oil 10, neroli oil and petit grain oil each 1½, bergamot oil 2½, musk-tincture 1½, musk-root tincture 10.

SOLID PERFUMES WITH PARAFFINE. The solid perfumes simply consist of hard paraffine, which, when melted, is perfumed with a corresponding quantity of any desired perfume-essence and poured into moulds. A few mixtures for such perfumes are here given:--

_White rose._--Rose geranium oil and bergamot oil each 10 drachms, patchouli oil and oil of cloves 1½.

_Ess-bouquet._--Coriander oil 1 drachm, oil of cloves 7, nutmeg oil 3.5, lavender oil 10, sandal-wood oil 3.5, bergamot oil 30, rose oil and rose-geranium oil each 2, neroli oil 0.6.

_Lavender odor._--Lavender oil 50 drachms, bergamot oil 25, cinnamon oil 0.3, geranium oil 2.5, neroli oil 0.5.

_Eau de Cologne._--Bergamot oil and lime oil each 30 drachms, lemon oil and neroli oil each 15, rosemary oil 5, rose geranium oil 0.6.

SMELLING SALTS. Smelling salts are ammoniacal perfumes in a solid form, Preston salt (_sel de Preston_) being one of the most popular. It is generally prepared by intimately rubbing together in a porcelain mortar equal parts of sal ammoniac or ammonium carbonate and lime freshly slaked to a powder, and perfuming the mixture, according to the quality of volatile salts desired, with a finer or inferior perfume.

William W. Bartlett prepares Preston salt without lime according to the following receipt: Powdered chloride of ammonium 1½ ozs., powdered carbonate of potassium 1 oz. 6 drachms, coarsely powdered carbonate of ammonium 3 drachms, oils of clove and bergamot each 10 drops.

Mr. Bartlett also gives a formula for a "_menthol pungent_" which is quite agreeable to the smell and a novelty for headache and faintness. It is prepared by leaving out the essential oils in the above formula and substituting in their place 1 drachm of menthol.

_White smelling_ salt consists essentially of perfumed carbonate of ammonia. There are several receipts for it, one frequently used being as follows: Mix in a capacious porcelain mortar 2.2 lbs. of ammonium carbonate with 1.1 lb. of ammonia, cover the mortar and let it stand quietly. In the course of a few days the contents have been converted into normal carbonate of ammonia. The latter is reduced to a coarse powder and perfumed with bergamot oil 0.56 drachm, lavender oil 0.9, nutmeg oil, clove oil, and rose oil each 0.28, cinnamon oil 2.82.

The incorporation of the volatile oils is effected by first triturating about 1/10 of the salt with the volatile oils and then gradually incorporating with this perfumed mass the rest of the salt, a uniform distribution of the odor being in this manner effected.