A PODCAST FROM IMMORTAL PERFUMES
The Scent
Archive
Curious histories, bottled
EP 02 - APRIL 29, 2026
THE DOCTOR AND THE ATOMIZER
How a Civil War veteran in Toledo accidentally invented the perfume atomizer
Dr. Allen DeVilbiss was sick of shoving goose grease down his patients' throats to treat infections. So he built the first atomizer in his Toledo shed from an oil can and a rubber ball. His son Thomas turned this medical device into Art Deco masterpieces that would change how America wore perfume.
YOUR HOST
JT Siems
PERFUME HISTORIAN · EDUCATOR · WRITER
JT Siems is the founder of Immortal Perfumes, a Seattle-based literary micro-perfumery. Obsessed with history, she is a perfume historian, educator, writer, and international award-winning perfumer.
FAN FAV - CHARLOTTE BRONTË: A BIRD NO NET COULD ENSNARE
Final episode in our series for Irish History Month is a rebroadcast of last year’s episode on Charlotte Brontë! (Her grandparents were Irish, it counts.) Charlotte wasn’t just some spinster writer. Her life was full of adventure and tragedy. Listen to learn more about the creator of Jane Eyre!
THE SECRET LIFE OF DR. JAMES MIRANDA BARRY
Dr. James Miranda Barry was a Victorian doctor with a big secret: he was born Margaret Anne Bulkley. We’re rounding out Irish History Month with the highly accomplished doctor (wish we had him now for the pandemic!) with a fluid gender. Tune in for more on his life and the scandal that ensued upon his death.
MICHAEL COLLINS: FREEDOM FIGHTER OR TERRORIST?
Whether someone is a freedom fighter or a terrorist depends on whose side you’re on. Such is the case with Michael Collins, the Irish revolutionary who paved the way for Irish independence. Tune in to learn more about the enigmatic “Big Fellow” who brought an empire to it’s knees before his assassination at age 31.
MARGARET SANGER: THE WOMAN REBEL
It’s International Women’s Day! What better way to celebrate than diving into the life of Margaret Sanger - the reproductive rights advocate who founded Planned Parenthood. Margaret was integral in making birth control available to all women. She also had some dark beliefs. Tune in to learn how this Irish-American woman changed history.
OSCAR WILDE'S FLAMBOYANT LIFE
Calling all dandies! We’re kicking off Irish Heritage Month with a look at witty Irish playwright, Oscar Wilde. Listen in for a detailed look at his work…and his downfall. Plus, there are TWO references to Dracula and friend of Storical, raging spiritualist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, makes an appearance.