42 BOOK OF THE SCENTED GARDEN 
BENEFIT OF PERFUMES FOR BURNING 
Professor Mantegazza, of the Institute of Lombardy, 
long ago pointed out that the burning of perfumes or 
incense, such as benzoin, in sick-houses, or hospitals, 
or churches was a practice based on common-sense. 
If this burning merely disguised or masked insanitary 
odours, we might not reap much material benefit by the 
practice. But the burning creates or assists ventilation 
and oxidisation, and then acids are produced that 
neutralise the effects of bacteria or of foul air, while the 
aromatic fumes given off are inimical and preventive of 
infection, being often fatal to bacterial life. 
The ancient ceremony of personal fumigation amongst 
the Arabs is well known. A brazier is used containing a 
few glowing bits of charcoal over which is sprinkled in- 
cense of benzoin, fragrant gums, and the powder of sweet 
herbs. Over this each guest in turn sits down, spread- 
ing his robes out so as to confine the fumes for a few 
seconds or so around the lower part of his body. To 
do this properly is a sort of ritual, sometimes accom- 
panied by prayer. The Friday baths, anointing, fumi- 
gations, painting, and perfuming of the women in Arabia 
and other Mahomedan countries, is a ceremony to which 
European ladies are now and then admitted as a great 
compliment. 
