ESSENTIAL OILS II 
moisture, while most wonderful of all perhaps, the 
odorometer detects and measures gases or odours ranging 
from the most pungent to the most delicate.-—‘“‘ Life and 
Inventions of Edison,” p. 81. 
EssENTIAL OILs versus BACTERIA 
Those who wish to go further afield in their inquiries 
as to the beneficial influence of essential oils versus 
bacteria should consult Sternberg’s ‘‘’Text-book of 
Bacteriology,” p. I99 et seg. Professor Chamberlain 
has made extensive experiments in order to prove the 
antiseptic powers of the vapours of volatile vegetable 
oils. A large number of the essential oils tested did 
actually prevent the development of the anthrax bacillus ; 
while, on the other hand, a few of them did not do so. 
At the end of six days the culture tubes containing the 
bacillus and the oil were opened, and the oil which had 
been absorbed by the culture liquid allowed to evapo- 
rate. Living cultures were again obtained from all 
except the following, which it was inferred had de- 
stroyed the vitality of the bacillus and its spores or 
divisions. ‘The essential oils that did this were Angelica, 
Cinnamon of China, Cinnamon of Ceylon, Geranium of 
France, Geranium of Algeria, and Origanum. In the 
case of the typhoid bacillus the essences which killed 
its germs after a contact of less than twenty-four hours 
were as follows :— 
GERMICIDAL Power oF ESSENTIAL OILS 
Cinnamon of Ceylon, at the end of 12 minutes. 
Cloves, 29 5) 99 25 9 
Engenol, ”? 29 ” 30 99 
Thyme, 29 29 29 35 29 
Thyme, Wild, 29 29 29 45 9 
Verbena of India, BRAS oe MES MAIO Y i 
