The technique was used to produce alcohol and essential oils the latter was fundamental to aromatherapy. In chemistry, the chemical process of steam distillation was first described by Ibn Sīnā. Ibn Sīnā is regarded as a father of modern medicine. In particular, 150 of his surviving treatises concentrate on philosophy and 40 of them concentrate on medicine. Ibn Sīnā wrote almost 450 treatises on a wide range of subjects, of which around 240 have survived. Ibn-Sina (979-1037), who is better known as Avicenna, the Latinized corruption of his name, was indeed the most important physician between the time of the Roman Empire and that of the rise of modern science. He is credited with, among other things, the discovery of sulfuric acid, the 'work horse' of modern chemistry and chemical engineering and also of alcohol and its use in medicine recorded in over 184 books and articles in various fields of science. He was a philosopher who made fundamental and lasting contributions to the fields of medicine and alchemy. Zakariya al-Razi (in Latin: Rhazes or Rasis) was born in Rayy, Iran, 864 died in Baghdad, 930 AD. He is also credited with the discovery of citric acid (the sour principle of lemons and other unripe fruits), acetic acid (from vinegar), and tartaric acid (from wine-making residues). Besides its obvious applications to gold extraction and purification, this discovery would fuel the dreams and despair alchemists for the next thousand years. He discovered 19 elements along with their specific weights. By combining the two, he invented aqua regia, one of a few substances that can dissolve gold. Jabir discovered hydrochloric acid (from salt) and nitric acid (from saltpeter). He wrote more than one hundred treatises on various subjects, of which 22 are about alchemy. These traces are sufficiently well marked to render it probable that Persia was, indeed, one of the main channels through which alchemy came to Islam and it is not without interest to note that many of the principal Muslim alchemists were Persians.Ību-Musa-Jabir-ibn-Hayyan (Latinized name: Geber), born c. There are unmistakable traces of Persian influence, manifested distinctly by linguistic affinities in technical names and usage and in names of minerals. The Persian Alchemist had to present his work in the Arabic language. Persia was also occupied by the Arabs (in 641).When Egypt was occupied by the Arabs in the 7th Century, they added 'al-' to the word Khemi where again al-Khemia meant 'the Black Land '.In their work, the Indians invented steel, and long before Bunsen and Kirchhoff's work, they realized the importance of flame colors in the identification of metals. They had beliefs similar to the Chinese, in that they used external and internal methods to purify the body and prolong life. Like China and Egypt, India developed alchemy independently as well. The former being minerals, plants, and other, which could prolong life and the latter, being the use of exercise techniques, such as Qigong, to manipulate the chi or life force of the body. The monks pursued both the outer elixir and the inner elixir. Alchemy was also developed independently in China by Taoist monks.The result was Khemia, the Greek word for Egypt, meaning 'the Black Land '. Greek philosophers’ views for the concept of matters were merged with Egyptian sacred science. By 332 BC, Alexander the Great had conquered Egypt.Based on the “life after death” belief, the mummification procedures, which were accompanied by the use of a variety of mixed compounds, probably were the basic foundation of knowledge for chemical concepts. The word Khem was used in reference to the fertility of the flood plains around the Nile River.

Alchemy meaning in chemistry