Introduction The first aromatherapy Is natural safe? Why are waters not used more? Sourcing good materials Advantages of distilled waters What is their composition? Scientific proof - what is it? Other water based plant extracts Chapter One: Historical background Egypt - Nile, Edfu, priest embalmers, architects Aromatics worldwide - China, India, Middle East, Jewish, Greek, Roman Development of distillation - golden age of the Arabs, alcohol, alchemists Crusades Monasteries Paracelsus Perfumes New plants Still rooms Renaissance herbals Hungary water, carmelite water, eau de cologne Rise of science Fall and resurrection of plant medicine - 20th century pioneers Chapter Two: The nature of water Universal distillation process Introduction Basic necessity Life and death, life giving Physical power of water Visual aspect Water as solvent, cleanser Judging by water Water in the body, passage through body Bottled water Treatments with water - Thalassotherapy, spa treatments Scientists who investigated water - Priestley, Cavendish, Watt, Lavoisier, Laplace Structure of liquid water - hydrogen bonding, polar solvent Molecules soluble in water, increased dilution Chapter Three: Terminology and nomenclature Introduction - what's in a name? How waters are obtained Current terminology - aromatic water, essential water, prepared water, distilled water, floral water, hydrolat, medicated water Colloids, hydrosols, suspensions Cohobation - water oil, are cohobated waters therapeutic? Chapter Four: Prepared waters Identifying the product Not distilled Internal use Fragrant waters - methods of production, pharmacopoea, trituration, preservatives Addition of alcohol Hydroessentials Witch hazel DIY home made Chapter Five: The plants utilized Kinds of plants used Extraction process - distillation, water quality, pH of water used, still hardware, distillation time Plants used - which parts of plants Yield of water Volatile molecules in distilled waters - quantity, kind of molecules, artefacts in waters Therapeutic value Chapter Six: Physical aspects Keeping qualities - storage, temperature, time Temperature Time Preservatives Appearance Density pH Odour Quality Cost Chapter Seven: Discussion of Analyses Discussion of molecules found in hydrolats Table of molecules found in waters Chemistry of aromatic molecules Chapter Eight: Alphabetical listing of waters with description, properties and indications Chapter Nine: Methods of use and dosage Reasons for using waters Uses of distilled waters External use - baths, compresses, douches, eyes, hair, nebulizers, skin care, creams, lotions, sprays, vaporisers Internal uses Beverages, teas Culinary use Digestive problems Gargles, mouthwashes Rectal use Vaccinations Dispersants Cautions and safe use Chapter 9a: Recipes Common ailments: circulation, colds and flu, detoxification, diarrhoea, digestive, eyes, general health, hair, hypertension, legs, lice, lymph, nervous system, respiratory, rheumatism, skin, slimming, teeth, tonic, urinary problems Baby and child care Culinary recipes Making your own hydrolats Chapter Ten: Case studies Chapter Eleven: Teas, infusions, decoctions Appendix A: Therapeutic index Appendix B: Index of therapeutic properties of hydrolats Appendix C: Plant list - Scientific and common names Appendix D: Analyses of hydrolats Glossary References Index
