Musk
Musk
!Musk deer of Tibet in an 1835 illustration
Musk
Natural musk was used extensively in perfumery until the late 19th century when economic and ethical motives led to the adoption of synthetic musk, which is now used almost exclusively. The organic compound primarily responsible for the characteristic odor of musk is muscone. There are several ways of preparing the commercial musk, and the best method is to dry the pod by sunning and airing immediately after it is taken from the animal. Natural musk is usually packed in hermetically-sealed vessels and wooden boxes lined with tin foil because of its powerful diffusion of odor.
Musk
Modern use of natural musk pods occurs in traditional Chinese medicine which, save for specially exempt drugs, uses a synthetic version of undisclosed composition created in 1994. The process was given State Science and Technology Progress Award First Class in 2015.
Reading List
Report Issue