The Legend
The legend starts in Singapore and Penang in 1927 when the founder, the late Mr Gan Geok Eng first developed the medicated oil of White Flower Embrocation, commonly known as Pak Fah Yeow. The late Mr Gan used to be a merchant operating confectionary, bakery and provision stores. White Flower Embrocation was initially developed for private use. However, the medicated oil proved to be so popular with family friends and acquaintances that Mr Gan decided to produce it on a commerical basis and offer for general sale. "Pak Fah Yeow", literally meaning "White Flower Oil", was named after his favourite flower, white "Narcissus" daffodil. Trademark relating to White Flower Embrocation was first registered in Penang and Singapore by Mrs Gan Low Khoon Choo in 1935.
Following the initial success in Singapore and Penang, Mr Gan decided to enter into the Hong Kong market in 1951 seeing it as both a potential major market and ideal manufacturing centre with its numerous Chinese inhabitants and readily available labour force. With a series of remarkable marketing campaign including extensive outdoor advertising which was unique in its day, endorsement by well known Chinese opera actors and active participation in the Hong Kong Chinese Products Exhibition (Industrial Trade Fair), White Flower Embrocation successfully built up its market place.
Natural Therapeutic
Power:
White Flower Embrocation, commonly known as Pak Fah Yeow, is a blend of several essential oils including wintergreen, eucalyptus and lavender. Other ingredients include menthol and camphor. Most ingredients are natural and all, imported from France, China and Australia, are purchased in compliance with the standards and guidelines set forth by British Pharmacopoeia and Chinese Pharmacopoeia.
Ingredients of White Flower Embrocation Use and Indication
+ Wintergreen oil relieves pain and helps soothe sore
muscle
+ Menthol has a cooling effect and is used for treating headaches,
rheumatic pains and neuralgia. It may also relieve symptoms of
bronchitis, sinusitis and similar condition.
+ Eucalyptus oil is antiseptic in nature. It can be used as a
counter-irritant and also provides relief from cold and sinusitis
+ Camphor is a natural analgesic providing relief from pain. It also
repels insects.
+ Lavender oil is a natural antiseptic and insect repellent. It is
calming and speeds healing of burn and wound.
Owing to the properties of its various ingredients, White Flower Embrocation is positioned as a handy and multipurpose health remedy for minor complaints.
Applications:
+ Provide relief from the stuffed-up feeling
associated with cold, catarrh or flu
+ Antiseptic
+ Relieve headache
+ Temporarily relieve muscular pain
+ Stop itching resulted from insect and mosquito bite
+ Good for travel and motion sickness
+ Refreshing
About Aromatherapy:
Aromatherapy is part of a natural healing tradition that is more than eight thousand years old. Before the mid-ninetheenth century, all remedies for chronic ailments, pain, and infectious disease were derived from plants, which were believed to have spiritual and curative powers. The seductive scent helps restore the harmony between body and mind, mitigating pain and also inspiring pleasure. Though we nowadays tend to take the quicker-acting chemical prescriptions, scientific analysis has shown that natural, time-honored herbal medicines can be remarkably effective. Aromatherapy not only provide us with a contemporary version of an ancient healing art, but is also a significant medical science.
The Birth of Modern
Aromatherapy:
Rene-Maurice Gattefosee, a French chemist, from an
experience in curing his burned hand with lavender, began his research
in the curative powers of essential oils. Gattefosse theorized that the
oils would be able to penetrate adjacent organs by externally applying
them to the skin which is interrelated with the brain and nervous
system. He classfied the ways various essences affect the metabolism,
nerves, digestive organs, and endocrine glands. aromatherapy was coined
by Gattefosse in 1928.
A charismatic biochemist, Marguerite Maury, developed a unique series of
massage methods with application of essential oils and revealed much
about its effectiveness to relieve tension and improve skin condition.
Jean Valnet, a famous Parisian doctor, had rediscovered the age-old
healing properties of essential oils when treating injured soldiers
during World War II.
At about the same time, Micheline Arcier further developed Aromatherapy
as a total health system and Madame Arcier believes that the age-old
healing techniques could join forces to enhance modern medical
practices.
During the 1950s, this new French massage method was
transplanted from Paris to London by Madame Arcier, becoming a discreet
London sensation.
The Ancient Aromatics:
The history of Aromatherapy begins with Neanderthal man and
archeologists believe they are one of the first users of plant-based
medications.
A nearly sixty-thousand-year-old skeleton was discovered in Iraq, which was a shaman, Shanidar IV. Next to this ancient man some concentrated deposits of pollen from yarrow, groundsel, and grape by acinth were also found. These medicinal plants are still grown and used by Iraqi people today.
Also, some seeds and ancient pharmacologists's tools have been excavated in Central and North America, dating back to 3,000 B.C.
According to early hieroglyphic scripts, Egyptians used aromatic plants for both medical and religious reasons. The most well known Egyptian invention to preserve the dead body in anthropology is mummification whereby the body is covered with molten resin which suppresses bacteria and wrapped with linens soaked in frankincense and myth prescribed as an anti-inflammatory agent by Egyptian priests.
Even though Egyptians initiated the extracting method to collect essences from medicinal plants by heating in clay pot, it was Geek alchemists who invented distillation, a boiling or steaming method to preserve plants' fragrance and healing properties.
Greek physician, Galen, in his famous textbook honored as the Western world's standard medical bible for fifteen hundred years, provided a recipe for healing all ills, which is formulated by 150 plants, animal parts, minerals and precious stones.
The ophrastus was the first true Aromatherapist. He analyzed the effect of various aromatics on thinking, feeling and health.
The Romans actually borrowed medical knowledge from the Greeks, utilized the aromatic essences for pleasure. By 3 A.D., Rome had been known as the world's bathing capital, with one thousand fragrant watering spots spread throughout the city.