Born in Crieff in 1773, Thomas Thomson is known for his work in the field of chemistry. He studied initially at Edinburgh University and graduated a doctor in 1799. After a period working as a freelance editor, writer, teacher and historian, Thomas Thomson began an appointment as Professor at Glasgow University (1817). This Chair he held until his death in 1852. It is believed that he is the first university professor to insist on the systematic training in practical experimentation. A strong advocate of the Atomic Theory of Dalton, Thomson undertook to prove that theory experimentally. His empirical work also included exploring William Prout’s hypothesis that the atomic weights of elements are whole number multiples of the atomic weight of hydrogen.
