chromatograms which relate to them, a delightful idea which helps bring a potentially dry subject to life. In the following chapter, Isolated and Synthetic Fragrance Materials, the author shows his colours as a chemist; he is very sympathetic to the development and use of synthetic and composite fragrance materials, a view which may put him at odds with the majority of aromatherapists.

The book is probably more detailed than most aromatherapists or their trainers would require and is perhaps of most relevance to students of perfumery, fragrance and flavour. But I would wholeheartedly recommended it as a reference to anyone with an interest in the scientific aspects of essential oils, as the book is resolutely scientific and immensely informative. There’s a comprehensive glossary and a useful appendix guiding the reader towards books and journals.

TB

MASSAGE & AROMATHERAPY

A GUIDE FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

ANDREW~ICKERS

Chapman & Hall f 15.99 Paperback 320 pages

ISBN: 0 4 I2 57630 9

T his is one of the very few aromatherapy texts written by

someone who is neither an aromatherapist, nor in any other way involved in the aromatherapy field. The tone throughout is one of an unbiased view of the subject. The autho’i- works for the Research Council for Complementary Medicine, and teaches research methodology at the University of Westminster.

Since it is written by an “outsider” it will, no doubt, be seen as a useful overview of the subject by other “outsiders” such as journalists, researchers, doctors and nurses. For aromatherapists it fulfills the very useful function of a critical benchmark

by which to judge our profession. It is also a reasonable pi-&is of aromatherapy-based research. However what it it not, nor does it purport to be, is a textbook of how to practice aromatherapy.

I do feel that the book is unfairly critical in several respects. Firstly, books on aromatherapy, which were never written as science-based textbooks for practitioners, are treated as such, and criticised for example, for making statements unsupported by good clinical data. There are several

problems with this exercise, quite apart from the fact that it will alienate aromatherapists. It is unfairly critical, because it is akin to accusing a 5-year- old of not being able to read and understand Shakespeare.

Aromatherapy in the UK is some 20-25 years old, and only really began to develop about ten years ago. Before 1980 there was virtually no good clinical research published on essential oils, and until 1995 there were no science-based aromatherapy textbooks. So to take, for example, ‘I‘he Art oj Aromatherapy, written in 1977, and to critically examine it as if it was a clinical text (which Vickers makes a meal of) is not kosher.

I can understand that Vickers wanted something to which he could apply his finely-honed critical skills, and I also take on board the fact that all popular aromatherapy books make medical claims which, it could be said,

THE ,NTERN*T,ON*L JOURNAL OF AROM*THERAPY 1997 UOlQ no8

should not be made if they cannot be supported by any clinical evidence. If science and research can support what we do, make sense of it, and further develop aromatherapy, that is all to the good. However, at the time most of these books were written, there simply were no good clinical data. Moreover, aromatherapy has not developed out of science, it has developed in spite of an acute lack of science.

Another respect in which the book seems unfairly critical is in saying that aromatherapists have failed to “demonstrate causal links between the historical activities described _ and modern aromatherapy”. One of the principal reasons given for this view is that “the link between the religious use of incense.....and the application of essential oils to treat disease must be seen as weak, at best”. If the ancient history of aromatherapy constituted nothing more than the religious use of incense, then Vickers might have a point. However, it does not, and he has not.

Vickers shows his true colours when he highlights the concept of “life force” as being particularly weird: Some authors under@ their

vision of the world, and in particular the

natural/synthetic duality, with the

concept al/: “tife jbrce”. This concept, surely, is one of the cornerstones of alternative and complementary medicine, and to criticise aromatherapists for buying into it seems very strange indeed, coming from someone who purports to represent research in complementary medicine.

So, is this an unbiased view of aromatherapy? It comes close, and it is well worth having a copy on your bookshelf, but ultimately the author represents the views of conventional science, and the book often reads as if it was written, not for a general audience, but for health care professionals within conventional medicine.

RT

CRCHANDBOOKOF MEDICINAL MINTS

(AROMATHEMATICS) S. M. BECKSTROM-

STERNBERG &JAMES A.DUKE

CRC press $156.00 460 Pages Hardback ISBN: 0 8493 2665 6

T his is a remarkably comprehensive reference book.

The ‘mint’ of the title refers not only to the genus mentha, but also to closely related plants such as Melissa

ojricin.alis and Hedeoma pulegiodes.

Arranged in two parts, the first is an exhaustive list of the various varieties of mint, the number of constituents

7

in parts per million, the whereabouts of the constituents on analysis and good references for each piece of data.

The second part reports biological activities for each phytochemical, along with references, almost all of which are to refereed journals. The whole book is resolutely scientific.

The work is for real mint aficionados and is strictly for reference only. But for anyone interested in scientifically substantiated information on therapeutic activity in aromatic plants, it will prove invaluable.

TB