Plant Aromatics safety manual
laid to rest 2010.

The publication was created based on what I considered the most relevant safety data - mainly from testing on humans, or from clinical reactions. The fragrance trade have since switched to making guesses based on tests of individual chemicals contained in the oils. International regulators have simply followed the trades and produced safety legislation based on misleading chemical data. Due to this I was not prepared to revise my publication based on their inaccurate data.

So I will let the data based on the tests of the whole oils lie as an historical document. However, please note that no matter how old, those tests on humans will always be valid unless new information shows them to be in error.

I must take this opportunity to thank the individuals who helped me in a variety of ways to publish Plant Aromatics. It started life in 1992 as an A5 document in ring binders.

I am greatly indebted to John Mitchell M.D. for granting me permission to photocopy an edition of his book 'Botanical Dermatology'. This book, written by Dr. Mitchell and Dr. A. Rook, was last published in 1979. It remains the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of the documented adverse effects on the human skin of thousands of plants and their various extracts. Having access to the references in this book enabled me to search for additional information on essential oils from sources that I would not otherwise have been aware of. Much of that information can now be found here: http://www.botanical-dermatology-database.info/

I thank the late Bernie Hephrun for tracing a copy of the above book enabling me to greatly improve my publication.

Thank you to the past owners of Gerard House Ltd., for providing the funding for a six month research project on their essential oil range. Without that funding this publication would have taken many more years to finalise.

A big thank you to Clive Bendon of Quality Analysis for his help on Edition 1 and his expertise in essential oils.

A big thank you to Butch Owen past owner of AV-AT.com who sold many copies of the newest edition in the Americas.

Thanks to Sylla Sheppard-Hanger and the late Lynn Bosman for distributing the early editions in the USA and Canada.

Thanks to Glyn and Maureen for doing the first edition typesetting at short notice.

Thanks to Dorielle, for the mind numbing process of inputting masses of technical information and complex references.

Thanks to Dawn for help at research libraries; office work and cutting the grass when my hayfever was rampant.

Thanks to John, my son, for helping with some of the extremely tiring and monotonous research at the science libraries.

Doubtless there are others I may have forgotten to thank, if so my apologies.

A big thank you to the many therapists who purchased the original sets, without the funding obtained from those sales, this work would have never been completed.

Martin Watt

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