The history of Aromatherapy
René Gattefossé, a French chemist, is the founder of aromatherapy as we know it today. Worked in the 1920s in the business of perfumery together with your family, using essential oils for the cosmetic industry. Only later discovered that these oils also have antiseptic properties due to an explosion that occurred in his laboratory and led to severe burns on the hands, having it dipped in a tank of lavender it was found that the burn healed quickly, without leaving a scar. The successful made Gateffossé to investigate more about the oils level skin problems and about their uses at the level medical.
In 1928, he published a book entitled “Aromathérapie” that has generated great interest in France and also in Italy where Prof. Paolo Rovesti, director of the “Istituto dei Derivati Vegetali” of Milan, used oils produced from the fruits of the city, such as bergamot, lemon and orange, and showed that smelling these oils it was possible to help patients recover from depressive states and anxious.
It has, however, Dr. Jean Valnet, a physician, president of the “société Française de Phytothérapie et d Aromathérapie”, and former military surgeon who gave the greatest contribution to the aromatherapy was accepted as a medical treatment, after his own experience in the use of oils for treatment of wounds and burns on soldiers during the Second World War. Later, in his book Aromathérapie, which became a classic for the aromaterapeutas, described how he treated patients chronic psychiatric by oral intake of the oils, checking that the same mitigated or eliminated by full, symptoms, whether physical, or mental.
But the mother of the aromatherapy holistic approach is the austrian Marguerite Maury, the biochemistry of the profession who dedicated himself completely to this art and has received two international awards (1962 and 1967) for his investigations on essential oils and cosmetology.
Although inspired in the technique Gattefossé, not administered the oils by oral route, but has adopted a special technique of massage for the application of the oils on the face and along the nerve centers of the spine. Also introduced the concept of individualism, in that the oils are prescribed depending on each person.
Marguerite Maury, passed away at age 73 due to a heart attack due to excess of work.
Another book that has aroused great interest around the world, was the first book written in English, “The Art of Aromatherapy written by Robert Tisserand, aromatherapist and british researcher, where he recounts the history, properties and therapeutic applications of many essences.
What is aromatherapy?
It is a therapy and a natural method of treatment of diseases and maintenance of health, which uses essential oils 100% pure which are extracted from various parts of plants and trees aromatic to promote the health of body and mind.
Because of the properties of essential oils, this method is considered to be a good complement to other natural therapies, which will help to improve the functioning of the body and state of mind of the person, the regeneration and the vitality, general well-being of the health.
There are several forms of Aromatherapy in which the oils can be used in massage, one of the most important forms of treatment, or in air fresheners in the bathroom where the therapeutic properties combined with water will enhance their effects. Can also be used as compresses, both hot and cold, mixed in creams, body lotions or even a few drops on the pillow to help a good night's sleep.
The oils are always diluted in vegetable oils, water or alcohol, thus preserving their chemical properties.