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.
A VERY VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS
The festivities that grew into modern day Christmas have spanned millennia. But most of the traditions we recognize today began under the reign of Queen Victoria. Take a listen for the history of Christmas cards, kissing balls, Christmas trees, and presents. Check out the links below for some creepy Victorian cards. Happy holidays! See you in 2021!
STORICAL FOOTNOTES: ASSASSINS & STALKERS OF QUEEN VICTORIA
When you’re a person in power, a lot of people want you dead. Would-be assassins tried eight times to kill Queen Victoria, but luck was on her side. Far creepier were her obsessive stalkers. Today we’re looking at the men who tried to kill the Queen and the strange case of the Boy Jones who broke into the palace repeatedly…and stole her underwear.
QUEEN VICTORIA: LOVE & EMPIRE
Queen Victoria was the sovereign of the UK at the height of the British Empire, and until her great-great granddaughter Queen Elizabeth II overtook her in 2015, was the longest reigning monarch. She ruled over 400 million people! But her road to the throne was an unlikely one marked by a horrible childhood and controlling men. Listen in to learn the truth about one of the most recognizable yet misunderstood queens.