Thomas Henry (apothecary) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Henry
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| Born | 26 October 1734 |
| Died | 18 June 1816 |
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| Children | William Henry |
Thomas Henry (born October 26, 1734 – died June 18, 1816) was a clever scientist and medical professional from Britain. He was a surgeon, which is a doctor who performs operations. He was also an apothecary, someone who prepared and sold medicines.
Thomas Henry was a very respected member of the scientific community. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. This is a special group for top scientists. He was also the father of William Henry, another famous chemist. William Henry is known for something called Henry's Law, which is about how gases dissolve in liquids.
Early Life and Training
Thomas Henry was born in a town called Wrexham in Wales. He learned how to be a surgeon and an apothecary there. This meant he studied both surgery and how to make medicines. Later, he moved to a bigger city in England called Manchester.
His Scientific Work
Thomas Henry was quite inventive! In 1771, he created a new way to make a medicine called magnesia alba. This was a type of magnesium carbonate, often used to help with stomach problems. Because of this invention, people started calling him "Magnesia" Henry.
He was also one of the people who started the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. This was a group where smart people met to talk about science, literature, and new ideas. He even became the president of this important society.
Experiments with Air and Water
In 1776, a scientist named Joseph Priestley discovered a new gas. He called it "dephlogisticated air." Today, we know this gas as oxygen. Thomas Henry made a funny guess about it. He joked that oxygen might become as popular as fancy French wine! He didn't really think people would ask for "a bottle of Air" instead of wine, though. He was just being playful.
Thomas Henry also got interested in carbonated water. This is water with bubbles, like sparkling water. After Joseph Priestley showed how to make it, Henry started making his own. He sold "artificial Pyrmont and Seltzer waters" in the late 1770s. He was trying to copy the famous fizzy mineral waters from places like Selters.
In 1786, Thomas Henry was chosen to be a member of the American Philosophical Society. This is another very old and respected group for scientists and thinkers, located in the United States.
