The Art of Perfumery, and Methods of Obtaining the Odors of Plants

The sooner the correct nomenclature is used in perfumery, as well as in the allied arts, the better, and the fewer blunders will be made in the dispensatory. It appears to the writer, that if the nomenclature of these substances were revised, it would be serviceable; and he would suggest that, as a significant, brief, and comprehensive term, Otto be used as a prefix to denote that such and such a body is the odoriferous principle of the plant. We should then have otto of lavender instead of essential oil of lavender, &c. &c. In this work it will be seen that the writer has generally used the word OTTO in place of "essential oil," in accordance with his views. Where there exists a solution of an essential oil in a fat oil, the necessity of some such significant distinction is rendered obvious, for commercially such articles are still called "oils"--oil of jasmine, oil of roses, &c. It cannot be expected that the public will use the words "fat" oil and "essential" oil, to distinguish these differences of composition. There are several good reasons why the odoriferous principle of plants should not be denominated oils. In the first place, it is a bad principle to give any class of substances the same signification as those belonging to another. Surely, there are enough distinguishing qualities in their composition, their physical character, and chemical reaction, to warrant the application of a significant name to that large class of substances known as the aroma of plants!