mes has been used to symbolize woman's work (cf.
the use of "spinster" for an unmarried woman); thus the "distaff" or
"spindle" side of a family refers to the female branch, as opposed to
the "spear" or male branch. The 7th of January, the day after Epiphany,
was formerly known as St Distaff's day, as women then began work again
after the Christmas holiday.

DISTILLATION (from the Lat. _distillare_, more correctly _destillare_,
to drop or trickle down), an operation consisting in the conversion of a
substance or mixture of substances into vapours which are afterwards
condensed to the liquid form; it has for its object the separation or
purification of substances by taking advantage of differences in
volatility. The apparatus consists of three parts:--the "retort" or
"still," in which the substance is heated; the "condenser," in which the
vapours are condensed; and the "receiver," in which the condensed
vapours are collected. Generally the components of a mixture will be
vaporized in the order of their boiling-points; consequently if the
condensates or "fractions" corresponding to definite ranges of
temperature be separately collected, it is obvious that a more or less
partial separation of the components will be effected. If the substance
operated upon be practically pure to start with, or the product of
distillation be nearly of constant composition, the operation is termed
"purification by distillation" or "rectification"; the latter term is
particularly used in the spirit industry. If a complex mixture be
operated upon, and a separation effected by collecting the distillates
in several portions, the operation is termed "fractional distillation."
Since many substances decompose either at, or below, their
boiling-points under ordinary atmospheric pressure, it is necessary to
lower the boiling-point by reducing the pressure if it be desired to
distil them. This variation is termed "distillation under reduced
pressure or in a vacuum." The vaporization of a substance below its
normal boiling-point can also be effected by blowing in steam or some
other vapour; this operation is termed "distillation with steam." "Dry
distillation" is the term used when solid substances which do not
liquefy on heating are operated upon; "sublimation" is the term used
when a solid distils without the intervention of a liquid phase.

Distillation appears to have been practised at very remote times. The
Alexandrians prepared oil of turpe