Joan Apter Aromatherapy and Wellness Programs

ARTICLE 2
THE HISTORY OF ESSENTIAL OILS

By Joan Apter, L.M.T.

It is impossible to date exactly when plants were first used for medicinal purposes. Since the dawn of human history herbs, plants, flowers, shrubs, trees, roots, bushes and seeds have assisted us in our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual life here on earth.

Essential oils are the regenerating, oxygenating and immune defense properties of the plant kingdom. They are subtle, volatile liquids that are steam distilled under low pressure and low temperature. To produce pure essential oils hundreds or thousands of pounds of plants are required to extract one pound of oil. Lavender requires 175-250 pounds to produce one pound of oil. Rose oil requires 5,000 pounds of petals for one pound of oil. Melissa requires three tons of plants to produce one pound of oil which sells for $9,000 to $15,000!

Many writings tell us where the use of essential oils began. Some say that Aromatherapy began in China, some say India. Research conducted by Dr. Gary Young, author of "Aromatherapy: The Essential Beginning", indicates that the Egyptians were the first to discover the potential of fragrance. According to papyrus found in the Temple of Edfu, dating back to 4500 BC, they were using fragrant oils for rituals, ceremony and medicine. Three oils used in the embalming process were cedarwood, myrrh and frankincense.

During the Neolithic period, 6,000 to 9,000 years ago, it was discovered that fatty oils could be press- extracted from the olive tree.

The first distillation of plants was done with olive oil. The Egyptians would take cedar bark, strip it, grind it, soak it with olive oil, wrap it in a wool cloth and then burn the cloth. The heat of the cloth would pull the essential oil out of the bark and into the olive oil. They would then press the wool cloth and extract the essential oil!

The Egyptians also found that they could extract oil by placing petals in goose or goat fat. The oil was then separated from the fat. This is the process of making an "absolute," which is an extraction without steam.

In 1817, the Ebers Papyrus was discovered, a medicinal scroll dating back to 1500 BC. It contained over 800 formulations of herbal prescriptions and remedies. Other scrolls indicated that the Egyptians had a very high success rate in treating 81 diseases. Many mixtures contained myrrh, oil and honey. Myrrh is still recognized for its ability to help with infections of the skin and throat, and to regenerate skin tissue.

In 1922, when King Tutankhamen's tomb was opened, 350 liters of oils were discovered in alabaster jars. These had been placed in the tomb when it was sealed in 1350 BC.

The physicians of Ionia, Attia and Crete came to the cities of the Nile to increase their knowledge. The Greeks ascribed a divine origin to all aromatic plants. Hippocrates attended the school of Cas, founded in 460 BC, and brought his knowledge back to Greece.

Cedarwood oil was highly prized both in Babylon and Egypt. In a clay table from Babylon, dating from 1800 BC, there is an order for imported oil of cedar, myrrh and cypress. This suggests that international trade in aromatics goes back as much as 4,000 years!

The Romans were even more lavish in their use of perfume than the Greeks. The Romans used oils to scent their hair, bodies, clothes, and even the walls of their houses!

There are 188 references to oils in the Bible, and some, such as frankincense, myrrh, rosemary hyssop and spikenard were used for the anointing and healing of the sick.

Biblical prophets recognized the use of essential oils as a protection against the ravages of disease. The Three Wise Men brought the oils of frankincense and myrrh to the Christ Child. In those days, frankincense was considered more precious than gold!

Clinical research has now found that frankincense oil contains very high immune-stimulating properties.

Perhaps the oldest traditional use of essential oils is for emotional and spiritual purposes, Different fragrances have a calming, stimulating, elevating or suppressing action within the body.

Rose and rosemary may improve memory. Patchouli brings peace and relaxation. Ylang Ylang balances male and female emotions. Clary Sage balances hormones. Sandalwood increases spiritual awareness. Spruce helps us to feel grounded and creates a sense of security. Melissa contains a biochemical constituent which has been reported to be very effective against viral diseases, insomnia, migraines and nervous tension. Chamomile, cinnamon, oregano, thyme and clove are commonly used in Europe to strengthen the immune system and to fight against viral and infectious disease.

When Rome fell, the surviving Romans fled to Constantinople, bringing with them their knowledge of perfumery. In the late tenth century, Avicenna is credited with the rediscovery of the lost art of distillation. Rose was the first essential oil extracted by this "new" process of steam distilling. These rose oils and roses waters caught the attention of European businessmen, who, by the end of the twelfth century had brought perfumes to Europe.

During the Great Plague of the Middle Ages, perfume oils were the best antiseptics available. It has been widely reported that the perfumer's were virtually immune to the plague. Up until the nineteenth century, medical practitioners still carried a little bag filled with aromatics on top of their walking sticks, so they could inhale them when visiting any contagious cases.

By the turn of the eighteenth century, essential oils were being comprehensively used in medicine.

During the nineteenth century many essences were investigated more scientifically than ever before. In 1887 Chamberland published the results of his valuable research on the antiseptic properties of essential oils.

During this time the perfume industry saw incredible growth, especially in France. Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, a perfumer in Grasse, France, coined the term "aromatherapy" when he immersed his badly burned hand in a vat of lavender oil. Much to his surprise, his burn healed at a phenomenal rate, with no sign of infection and with no scar. In 1928, he published his first book on Aromatherapy.

Another French doctor, Jean Valnet, began to use essential oils in his treatments during the second world war. It is almost entirely due to his work that aromatherapy is now recognized as a therapy in its own right. Valnet first published his book, "Aromatherapie" in 1964.

Italy has produced some notable researchers in the field of aromatherapy. Doctors Gatti and Cajola, who were working in the 1920's and 1930's, realized the enormous scope of therapy with essential oils. Lately there has been considerable research on the benefits of essential oils in the treatment of anxiety and depression.

In 1992, it was discovered that essential oils have a bio-electrical frequency measurable in hertz, megahertz and kilohertz. The first frequency monitor was built by Bruce Tainio of Tainio Technology, an independent division of Eastern State University in Cheny, Washington.

Since the turn of the century there has been a growing interest in the therapeutic power of essential oils in Germany, Switzerland, France in England. Aromatherapy is taught in medical schools in France and England and the oils are being used by doctors in many hospitals.

As we head towards the 21st Century, the rediscovery of the healing attributes of essential oils are being studied and enjoyed by people all over the globe. They are truly one of the miracles of the natural pharmacy!