[The inception for the prevention of alcohol embryopathy since 3000 years ago?]

The etiology of alcoholic embryopathy-maternal use of alcoholic beverages during pregnancy-only is known about 20 years. But already 3,000 years ago the authors of the Old Testament warned the wife of Manoah to drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy (judges 13,2-25). Investigation of the historical, ethnological, ideological and mythological background of this law shows, that this text reflected ideas of social alternatives and reforms from the 9th century before our time-but not any knowledge about embryo- and fetotoxic effects of alcoholic beverages during pregnancy.