Smoke Odor Research Articles

Studies on cellulose cigarette smoke. VI. Composition of the water-soluble portion of cellulose cigarette smoke condensate.

Water-soluble portion of the smoke condensate of cellulose cigarette was studied and 42 compounds-10 lactones, 6 cyclopentanones (or cyclopentenones), 5 pyrans and other compounds-were either positively or tentatively identified. Of these 42 compounds, 12, such as succinaldehyde, 5-hydroxy-2-pentenone, etc., were identified for the first time in cellulose pyrolyzate. Semi-quantitative estimation of some of the major components in water-soluble portion revealed that 1, 6-anhydroglucopyranose (levoglucosan) was the most abundant, followed by 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-cyclopentenone (cyclotene), acetol, 2-hydroxy-5-pentanolide, etc. Glycolaldehyde which seems to be more abundant than cyclotene on chromatogram could not be estimated because of peak tailing. Of these water-soluble com-ponents, succinaldehyde has very pungent and irritating effect and seems to be a cause of the pungent and irritating odor of cellulose cigarette smoke.

PEDIATRIC ALLERGY: SOME IMPRESSIONS GAINED OVER A 37-YEAR PERIOD

The most effective treatment of allergy is discovery and removal of the allergen. Injection therapy, while useful in some forms of inhalant allergy such as hay fever, is a less effective measure. Respiratory tract allergy is frequently mistaken for respiratory tract infection. A history of repeated episodes of bronchitis or pneumonia should suggest the possibility of asthma. Similarly, a history of repeated "colds" should suggest allergic rhinitis. Increased sneezing and itching and rubbing of the nose are frequent minor symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Coughing at night and coughing on exertion are common minor symptoms of asthma. Since allergic rhinitis and asthma often occur together and share the same etiology, all four of these minor symptoms may serve as a guide in identifying and treating asthma. Positive skin tests for allergy may be found in as much as 50% of "normal" individuals, many of whom may have no recognized clinical allergy. Positive skin tests therefore do not constitute evidence of clinical symptoms. Nonspecific trigger factors such as nervous tension, respiratory tract infections, fatigue, climate, exercise, and smoke or strong odors may precipitate an attack of asthma. Frequently overlooked are the more important specific factors such as pollens, house dust, animal danders, and foods. An important variable factor in asthma is the state of the patient's sympathetic-parasympathetic nervous system balance. At times this may act to augment synergistically the action of the chemical mediators of the allergic reaction, thus involving non-immunological as well as immunological factors. Food allergy or intolerance is a frequently unrecognized cause of asthma and allergic rhinitis. It is also a frequent cause of the tension-fatigue syndrome–a common but little known entity.

An Odor of Smoke

An Odor of Smoke

Studies on the supracallosal mesial cortex of unanesthetized, conscious mammals II. Monkey. C. Frequency analysis of responses from the olfactory bulb

1. 1. This study featured a frequency analysis of responses from the olfactory bulb in the unanesthetized monkey. 2. 2. Sharp, penetrating odors from substances of low molecular weight had primarily an inhibitory effect on the background rhythm. The major effect of smoke, mechanical stimulation and many odors generally regarded as pleasant-smelling, especially from essential oils, was to produce increased activity with a peak-frequency characteristic of the given stimulus. It seems possible that each odor has its own characteristic pattern of increased or decreased activity of the background rhythm. 3. 3. A direct inspection of the unanalyzed oscilloscopic recording of the excitatory burst-response from cigarette smoke and from various essential oils showed a gradual decrease in the frequency within a given burst. This decrease in frequency validates the data obtained by temporal analysis of the four peak-frequencies in the response to smoke. This analysis shows that the fastest frequency-component appeared most prominently in the early portion of the response and the lower frequency-components appeared later in the burst.