Desultory notes on the origin, uses, and effects of ardent spirit / by a physician.

Date:
1834
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Desultory notes on the origin, uses, and effects of ardent spirit / by a physician. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    29/134
    younger brother Benjamin, and sat at table with Joseph, the Scrip- ture informs us, « they drank, and were merrv with him. Genesis, xliii. 34. ' The examples we have cited show the very genera] prevalence of numerous liquors containing an ardent spirit, of domestic production, among various nations. These might be largely augmented, if it were now necessary for our purpose to extend their consideration We may, however, be permitted, instead, to indulge some opinions with relation to the proofs of the antiquity of the use of ardent spirit, not only as a. drink, but also in the different manufactures and processes ot art known to those who very long ago preceded us. From the contemplation of the remnants of the arts and sciences of the nations of antiquity in Africa and Asia, as well as from those which, at the present day, exist in those quarters of the globe, we must believe that a state of high refinement and extensive knowledge distinguished them. When we are informed by historians and travellers who have made acquaintance with their monuments and their institutions, that the earlier rulers of Egypt were well versed in natural science, and even practiced as physicians—that all information with regard to the physical phenomena of life, was earnestly sought after, held in great veneration, and gradually led to the various laws which wis- dom and experience dictated, and which were admired and imitated, though often perverted, by some of the most celebrated people of whom we have record; we may conjecture that they had acquaintance with some process, by which, either to concentrate its powers, or to divide the ardent spirit from the various combinations in which it un- doubtedly existed among them, and was employed for uses besides those of drink. We think it very evident that the Hebrew writers in- tended to distinguish between wine and other strong drink. From expressions repeatedly employed in the Scriptures, we believe they designed to describe a liquor stronger than wine. (See Appendix.) Alcohol is the solvent of resins and of most aromatic substances, abounding in the latitudes in which the sugar cane and saccharine fruits are indigenous. It forms the basis of the arts of the apothe- cary—of the japanner—the varnisher, and the perfumer—and enters into many of the varied processes for bleaching, manufacturing, or colouring the finer articles of clothing or ornament formed of silk, cotton, wool and flax, well known to the ancient inhabitants of Asia and of Africa. A tradition of the Chinese attributes the culture of the mulberry, the silk worm, and weaving, to the wife of Hwang-Te, whose reign closed 2G22 years B. C. Of course this lady was antedi- luvian, both by their calculation and ours. Mr. Morrison, from whose View we extract, expresses the opinion that the History of China does not disprove the Hebrew Scriptures. The manufacture of silk, and the judicious cultivation of the earth, have undoubtedly a claim to great antiquity in China, although her records do not win belief from those who are scrupulous. Her arts and manufactures, however, prove the scientific and extensive knowledge which must have preceded the various practical details which are now exhibited there. The Chinese conceal, with great care, the information they possess 4