Re: pinhole Smelly stuff that doesn't smell

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From: Geoff Ruth (gruth@uclink4.berkeley.edu)
Date: Wed Feb 16 2000 - 12:01:01 PST 

Message-Id: <v04011701b4d0b0ddd030@[128.32.190.180]>
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 12:01:01 -0800
From: Geoff Ruth <gruth@uclink4.berkeley.edu>
Subject: Re: pinhole Smelly stuff that doesn't smell

The chemistry development project just completed a unit on smells and
chemical bonding, so I have a good resource list about smell-related
science.

The condition you are describing is called specific anosmia.
Isobutyraldehyde is a good molecule for testing anosmia -- some people can
only smell at a much much higher concentration than most people. Isobutyl
alcohol also demonstrates ansomic behavior, although it is less pronounced
(but it's also easier to get.)

The National Geographic survey/article on smell a few years has more info
on different odor thresholds.

I did a quick web search on "specific anosmia" and came up with a number of
sites.

I haven't heard of chirality connected with anosmia.

Good luck,
Geoff

At 10:29 AM -0800 2/16/00, Gary Alexander Horne wrote:
>A plea to the great pinhole minds!
>
>Some time back I witnessed a demonstration of a chemical which had the
>unusual property that somepeople could smell it while others couldn't. To
>those who could smell it, it was absolutely fowl. To the rest, like me, it
>had no smell whatsover. I don't know anything else about this chemical
>except that it exists in a right-handed and a left-handed molecular form,
>and that it is in the "handedness" of the molecule that this syndrome takes
>place. Does anyone know what I am talking about and where i can secure some
>of it?
>
>Gary Horne
>
>Gary Horne
>4481-A Appian Way
>El Sobrante, CA 94803
>510 222 4310
>
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________________
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