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A History of aromatherapyHistory of aromatherapy is by no means a recent development. Cave paintings discovered in France, dating back to 18000 BC depict the burning of aromatic plants for medicinal use. Through the centuries aromatherapy has been used by many civilizations, most notably Egypt, China, India, Rome, and Greece. Crude methods of distilling the oils may have been present as early as 3000 BC. The Egyptians used infusion techniques to derive essential oils. They used these derivatives in many ways. Incense was used in religious ceremonies, with different oils being offered to different gods. Oils were used to combat mental illnesses such as mania and depression. They were also utilized in hygiene and communal baths, as well as massage. Perhaps most notably, oils were a key element in embalming, the preservation of dead bodies. Recent excavations of pharaohs’ tombs unearthed pleasant aromas, centuries after burial.
The Greeks continued the use of aromatherapy, with many of their practices based on Egyptian techniques. Hippocrates, sometimes known as the father of medicine, was reported to have said, “The way to health is to have an aromatic bath and scented massage every day.” Today, we would consider that a luxury! Megallus, another Greek physician, formulated oil blends for assisting in the healing of wounds. Dioscorides chronicled the uses of various medicinal plants in a reference book entitled De Materia Medica; many of these entries still influence us today.
The Roman civilization continued the Greek zeal for aromatherapy. Galen, an herbalist who lived around 30 AD, utilized and expanded on Dioscorides’ text. Aromatics were used in religious worship, but they were also popular with the common people. Thousands of “fragrant watering spots” were scattered around the streets of Rome. Of course, the Roman bath, incorporating massage and oiling, is legendary to this day. The increase of trade routes to Arabia and India brought new varieties of plants and oils.Around AD 1000, a Persian physician and alchemist named Avicenna refined the process of steam distillation. This process developed over many years, but Avicenna is credited with significantly improving it. The Arabs also were likely the first to distill alcohol, enabling perfumes to be carried in a less oily substance.
Gattefosse, a French chemist, has been credited with becoming the father of modern aromatherapy. Even the word aromatherapy was termed by him. His interest began after he dipped his severely burned hand in lavender oil after a laboratory experiment accident. He was amazed at how relatively quickly his burn healed, and with minimal scarring. He went on to study both the cosmetic and antimicrobial properties of essential oils. During World War I he used oils of lavender, thyme, and clove to increase wound healing and to act as an antiseptic among the wounded soldiers. He had good results, as essential oils tended to be much gentler than other antiseptics of the day. He stressed the usage of oils in their pure form, rather than trying to separate out an “active ingredient”. Margaret Maury, a 20th century French biochemist, is credited with expanding the techniques of modern massage using essential oils.
Many other examples of the use of essential oils could be cited, from the Indian temples made with sandalwood, to Montezuma’s extensive gardens with their vast offering of therapeutic plants. The use of medicinal plants has certainly withstood the test of time. We live in an era where the knowledge and practice of medicine is astounding, yet we ought never to forget the important lessons history can teach us.
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Western Europe also made use of medicinal plants. Conquering knights brought herbs and oils to Europe. The Crusades helped to spread the knowledge of techniques and procedures. During the Plague epidemic, aromatic herbs were burned in the streets to act as a disinfectant and to cover the odor of death. In the late 19th century, the use of medicinal plants began to fall out of favor. Microorganisms were discovered and synthetic chemicals grew in popularity. However, the power of medicinal plants could still be seen. The tuberculosis epidemic in France was devastating. A population of people remained strangely unaffected, those who worked in the flower growing district. It is now believed that this was likely due to the relative resistance offered by their exposure to medicinal plants. Essential oils are known to have disinfectant effects, even being bactericidal and virocidal in some cases.