The Quest for Aqua Vitae

Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, is one of the most ubiquitous chemical compounds in the history of the chemical sciences. The generation of alcohol via fermentation is also one of the oldest forms of chemical technology, with the production of fermented beverages such as mead, beer and wine predating the smelting of metals. By the 12th century, the ability to isolate alcohol from wine had moved this chemical species from a simple component of alcoholic beverages to both a new medicine and a powerful new solvent. Of course, this also began the long tradition of production of liqueurs and strong spirits for consumption. The use of alcohol as a fuel, however, did not occur until significantly later periods. This volume presents a general overview of the early history and chemistry of alcohol production and isolation, as well as a discussion of its early uses in both the chemical arts and medicine.

Seth C. Rasmussen is Professor of Chemistry at North Dakota State University (NDSU) in Fargo. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from Washington State University in 1990 and his Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from Clemson University in 1994, under the guidance of Prof. John D. Peterson. As a postdoctoral associate at the University of Oregon, he then studied conjugated organic polymers under Prof. James E. Hutchison. In 1997, he accepted a teaching position at the University of Oregon, before moving to join the faculty at NDSU in 1999. Active in the fields of materials chemistry and the history of chemistry, his research interests include the design and synthesis of conjugated materials, photovoltaics (solar cells), organic light emitting diodes, the application of history to chemical education, the history of materials, and chemical technology in antiquity. As both author and editor, Prof. Rasmussen has contributed to books in both materials and history and has published more than 50 research papers. He is a member of various international professional societies including the American Chemical Society, Materials Research Society, Alpha Chi Sigma, Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry, and the International History, Philosophy & Science Teaching Group. Professor Rasmussen currently serves as the Program Chair for the History of Chemistry division of the American Chemical Society and as Series Editor for Springer Briefs in Molecular Science: History of Chemistry.