Rayer was once consulted by a valet-de-chambre
who could never keep a place in consequence of the odor he left
behind him in the rooms in which he worked.
Hammond is quoted with saying that when the blessed Venturni of
Bergamons officiated at the altar people struggled to come near
him in order to enjoy the odor he exhaled. It was said that St.
Francis de Paul, after he had subjected himself to frequent
disciplinary inflictions, including a fast of thirty-eight to
forty days, exhaled a most sensible and delicious odor. Hammond
attributes the peculiar odors of the saints of earlier days to
neglect of washing and, in a measure, to affections of the
nervous system. It may be added that these odors were augmented
by aromatics, incense, etc., artificially applied. In more modern
times Malherbe and Haller were said to diffuse from their bodies
the agreeable odor of musk. These "human flowers," to use
Goethe's expression, are more highly perfumed in Southern
latitudes.
Modifying Causes.--According to Brieude, sex, age, climate,
habits, ailments, the passions, the emotions, and the occupations
modify the difference in the humors exhaled, resulting in
necessarily different odors. Nursing infants have a peculiar
sourish smell, caused by the butyric acid of the milk, while
bottle-fed children smell like strong butter.
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