FLORAL ODOURS EVANESCENT 39 
people to smell a flower they don’t know, and tell you 
what it smells like, you will get at least several different 
replies. Japanese ladies have a game of guessing the 
names of perfumes, which the hostess carefully prepares 
and blends or mixes in another room. 
Apart altogether from repulsive odours, even the per- 
fumes of some flowers may affect breathing or digestion, or 
may cause dizziness and fainting. Vanilla, Pittosporum, 
Japanese Privet, some Lilies, Tuberose, Jasmine, and 
Lilac are troublesome to individuals. Datura arborescens and 
the flowers of Oleander seem to exercise a narcotic effect 
and cause drowsiness. Stale Violets in water in a 
room cause nasal catarrh in people susceptible. Some 
people seem naturally sensitive to the bad influence of 
certain perfumes, which may not affect others. The 
inconvenience caused seems mainly due to the scent 
or perfume, and not to the influence of the pollen, which 
in the case of grasses and other flowers may be the 
cause of what is called <‘ hay fever.” 
FLorAL Opours EvaNescENT; LEAF Opours 
PERMANENT 
Flower perfumes, as we have said, are positive, being 
mostly given off whether we like it or not, and some 
people are so extremely sensitive to perfumes that 
those of Hyacinths, Narcissus, some Lilies (especially L. 
auratum), and even Roses prove disagreeable, and at 
times actually injurious. We are told that ‘‘one dog’s 
meat is another dog’s poison,” and floral odours that 
delight some people prove extremely disagreeable to 
others; and though ‘aromatic pain” of this kind may 
not actually kill folks, it is none the less a nuisance for 
the time it must be endured. To all those who suffer 
from strong floral perfumes I can strongly recommend 
the more negative qualities of fragrant leaves. 
