Henry Bence Jones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Bence Jones
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| Born | 31 December 1813 |
| Died | 20 April 1873 (aged 59) |
| Education | Harrow School |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge University of Giessen |
| Spouse(s) |
Lady Millicent Acheson
(m. 1842) |
| Children | 7 |
| Parent(s) | William Jones Matilda Bence Jones |
| Relatives | William Bence Jones (uncle) |
Henry Bence Jones (born December 31, 1813 – died April 20, 1873) was an important English doctor and chemist. He is famous for discovering a special protein in the human body.
Early Life and Education
Henry Bence Jones was born in a place called Stoke-by-Nayland in Suffolk, England. His father was Lieutenant Colonel William Jones. His mother was Matilda Bence Jones.
Henry went to several schools as a boy. He studied at Harrow School starting in 1827. Later, in 1832, he went to Trinity College, Cambridge university. He finished his degree there in 1836.
At first, Henry worked for a pharmacist. But he soon decided to study medicine. In 1838, he began studying medicine at St George's Hospital. The next year, in 1839, he also started studying chemistry at University College, London. He was very interested in chemistry. In 1841, he traveled to Germany to work with a famous chemist named Justus von Liebig at the University of Giessen.
Medical Career and Discoveries
When Henry Bence Jones returned to England, he started working at St George's Hospital. He became an assistant doctor and then a full doctor in 1846. He worked there until 1862.
In 1847, he made a very important discovery. He described a special protein that can be found in blood and urine. This protein is now called the Bence Jones protein after him. Finding this protein can help doctors diagnose certain serious diseases, like multiple myeloma.
Henry Bence Jones was also a respected member of the scientific community. He became a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. He was also a fellow of the Royal Society, which is a very old and famous scientific group. For many years, he was the secretary of the Royal Institution.
Besides his scientific papers, he wrote a book called The Life and Letters of Faraday in 1870. This book was about the famous scientist Michael Faraday.
Family Life
On May 28, 1842, Henry Bence Jones married Lady Millicent Acheson. She was his second cousin. They had seven children together.
Henry Bence Jones passed away in London on April 20, 1873. He was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery. His wife, Lady Millicent, died many years later in 1887.
See also
- Bence Jones protein
