The distillation of wine is attested in Arabic works attributed to al-Kindī (c. 801–873 CE) and to al-Fārābī (c. 872–950), and in the 28th book of al-Zahrāwīs (Latin: Abulcasis, 936–1013) Kitāb al-Taṣrīf (later translated into Latin as Liber servatoris). In the twelfth century, recipes for the production of aqua ardens ("burning water", i.e., ethanol) by distilling wine with salt started to appear in a number of Latin works, and by the end of the thirteenth century it had become a widely known substance among Western European chemists.The works of Taddeo Alderotti (1223–1296) describe a method for concentrating ethanol involving repeated fractional distillation through a water-cooled still, by which an ethanol purity of 90% could be obtained. The medicinal properties of ethanol were studied by Arnald of Villanova (1240–1311 CE) and John of Rupescissa (c. 1310–1366), the latter of whom regarded it as a life-preserving substance able to prevent all diseases (the aqua vitae or "water of life", also called by John the quintessence of wine).In China, archaeological evidence indicates that the true distillation of alcohol began during the Jin (1115–1234) or Southern Song (1127–1279) dynasties. A still has been found at an archaeological site in Qinglong, Hebei, dating to the 12th century. In India, the true distillation of alcohol was introduced from the Middle East, and was in wide use in the Delhi Sultanate by the 14th century.In 1796, German-Russian chemist Johann Tobias Lowitz obtained pure ethanol by mixing partially purified ethanol (the alcohol-water azeotrope) with an excess of anhydrous alkali and then distilling the mixture over low heat.
Labial fusion is a medical condition of the female genital anatomy where the labia minora become fused together. It is generally a pediatric condition. Presentation
Labial fusion is rarely present at birth, but rather acquired later in infancy, since it is caused by insufficient estrogen exposure and newborns have been exposed to maternal estrogen in utero. It typically presents in infants at least 3 months old. Most presentations are asymptomatic and are discovered by a parent or during routine medical examination. In other cases, patients may present with associated symptoms of dysuria, urinary frequency, refusal to urinate, or post-void dribbling. Some patients present with vaginal discharge due to pooling of urine in the vulval vestibule or vagina. Complications
Labial fusion can lead to urinary tract infection, vulvar vestibulitis and inflammation caused by chronic urine exposure. In severe cases, labial adhesions can cause complete obstruction of the urethra, leading to anuria and urinary retention. Pathophysiology
The primary contributing factor to labial fusion is low estrogen levels. A vulva with low estrogen exposure, such as that of a preadolescent, has delicate epithelial lining and is therefore vulnerable to irritation. Conditions causing irritation, such as infection, inflammation and trauma, cause the edges of the labia minora to fuse together. The fusion typically begins at the posterior frenulum of the labia minora and continues anteriorly.Most labial adhesions resolve spontaneously before puberty as estrogen levels increase and the vaginal epithelium becomes cornified. Diagnosis
The condition can be diagnosed based on inspection of the vulva.