A. D., and as the German name "brannt-wein" would indi- 

 cate. However the distillation of grain was known to Rhazes 

 as early as 860 A. D. 1 In the eleventh century Afrikasas, a 

 Spanish physician, mentions alcohol in his writings, and it 

 was known to other chemists and physicians, but the methods 

 of preparation were treated as a mystery. 2 



b. Introduction into Germany and Spread of Its Use. 



In the thirteenth century, through the Arabians, it began 

 to be used as a medicine, and quantities were introduced into 

 Germany from Italy, at the beginning of the fourteenth cen- 

 tury, as a remedy against the plague. Until the end of the 

 fifteenth century it appears to have been used chiefly as a 

 medicine or elixir of life, but during the following decades 

 its use as a beverage became so common that the quantity pro- 

 duced from wine was not sufficient to supply the demand, and 

 the practice of distilling wine lees and beer residues began. 

 In a short time distilling became a sort of branch of brewing. 3 

 Finally, the increasing use led to the direct production of 

 alcohol from grain, which dates from 1590. 4 The evils re- 

 sulting from the use of spirits, as w r ell as the fear of famine, 

 caused through the distillation of grain, induced many 

 princes to issue mandates forbidding or controlling the pro- 

 duction and use of acohol. 



The landgrave of Hesse forbade the use of alcohol in 1524. 

 All distillation but that from wine and brewers' grains was 

 forbidden in Electoral Saxony in 1595, and in Bavaria in 

 1553 and 160J:. 5 Absolute prohibition, of the use of spirits as 

 a beverage was frequently enforced during the entire four- 

 teenth century, but distilling also began to be recognized as 

 a productive industry, needing rather to be controlled than 

 to be suppressed. 



The Thirty Years' War resulted in greatly increasing the 

 consumption of spirits; camp life, the destruction of the 



1. Hoefer, F., " Histoire de la Cemie." Paris, 1869 ; p. 341. 



2. Stahlschmidt, pre. cit., p. 270. 



3. Meitzen, Aug., " Der Boden u die landwirtschaftliche Verhaeltnisse des Pr. 

 Staates. Berlin, 1862; vol. ii., p. 378. 



4. Stahlschmidt, pre. cit., p. 270. 



5. Wolf, " Der Branntweinsteuer," p. 44. 



239392 



