Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS

[Jorge_Stolfi]

believed the then newly discovered substance of ethanol

"Newly discovered" only in Europe.  Ethanol was conjectured by Ancient Greek and by the Baghdad Caliphate alchemist Jabir Ibn Hayyam (806−816).  (He should be called the Grandfather of Chemistry, since he is considered the discoverer of citric, sulfuric, hydrochloric, and nitric acids, as well as the mix of the last two, aqua regia, that dissolves gold.)  Those philosophers had observed that hot wine releases a flammable vapor.  The preparation of liquid ethanol is attributed to other Caliphate alchemists of the 800s, like Al-Razi or Al-Kindi. 

The works of Jabir (Latinized as Geber)  and other Caliphate alchemists were translated from Arabic to Latin in the 1100s or 1200s, first in Italy IIRC. They were responsible for the proliferation of Medieval Alchemists as depicted in the popular culture, since aqua regia seemed to open the door to the transmutation and perhaps creation of gold by chemical means.  Jabir also invented a modification of Aristotle's Four Element theory, that seemed to justify that hope.

All the best, --jorge