PLAGUE AND EAU DE COLOGNE?

1.

Until bacteria were discovered in the 17th Century, infectious diseases were thought to be caused by noxious smells. The word ‘malaria’ comes from the Latin for ‘bad air’.

2.

During the Black Death in Europe in the 14th Century, towns and cities would build bonfires of scented wood to try and purify the air and drive away the disease.

3.

For more portable protection, the rich carried their own vials, filled with strongsmelling plant essential oils. The word ‘perfume’ comes from the same root as the word ‘fumigate’.

4.

As perfume became associated with wealth, an industry grew up in Europe to cater to changing fashions. The original citrus recipe of Eau de Cologne dates back to 1709.