"It is said that during the plague at Marseilles, four persons, by the
use of this preservative, attended, unhurt, multitudes of those that
were affected; that under the color of these services, they robbed both
the sick and the dead; and that being afterwards apprehended, one of
them saved himself from the gallows by disclosing the composition of the
prophylactic (a very likely story!!), which was as follows:--

VINAIGRE DES QUATRE VOLEURS, OR FOUR THIEVES' VINEGAR.

Take fresh tops of common wormwood, Roman
wormwood, rosemary, sage, mint, and rue, of
each, 3/4 oz.
Lavender flowers, 1 oz.
Garlic, calamus aromaticus, cinnamon, cloves,
and nutmeg, each, 1 drachm.
Camphor, 1/2 oz.
Alcohol or brandy, 1 oz.
Strong vinegar, 4 pints.

Digest all the materials, except the camphor and spirit, in a closely
covered vessel for a fortnight, at a summer heat; then express and
filter the vinaigre produced, and add the camphor previously dissolved
in the brandy or spirit."

A very similar and quite as effective a preparation may be made by
dissolving the odorous principle of the plants indicated in a mixture of
alcohol and acetic acid. Such preparations, however, are more within the
province of the druggist than perfumer. There are, however, several
preparations of vinegar which are sold to some extent for mixing with
the water for lavatory purposes and the bath, their vendors endeavoring
to place them in competition with Eau de Cologne, but with little
avail. Among them may be enumerated--

HYGIENIC OR PREVENTIVE VINEGAR.

Brandy, 1 pint.
Otto of cloves, 1 drachm.
" lavender, 1 "
" marjoram, 1/2 drachm.
Gum benzoin, 1 oz.

Macerate these together for a few hours, then add--

Brown vinegar, 2 pints.

and strain or filter, if requisite, to be bright.

TOILET VINEGAR (_a la Violette_).

Extract of cassie, 1/2 pint.
" orris, 1/4 "
Esprit de rose, triple, 1/4 "
White wine vinegar, 2 pints.

TOILET VINEGAR (_a la Rose_).

Dried rose-leaves, 4 oz.
Esprit de rose, triple, 1/2 pint.
White wine vinegar, 2 pints.

Macerate in a close