William Henry's research of the solubility of gases in liquids led to what is now known as Henry's law. Henry was also the first to experiment with electrochemistry. Born in Manchester, England, on December 12, 1774, William Henry was the third son of Thomas Henry, a physician and industrial chemist who suggested the use of chlorine as a bleaching agent for textiles. Henry began his schooling at a private institution run by a local Unitarian minister, but later transferred to Manchester Academy, which offered a wide curriculum composed of scientific, practical, and mathematical subjects. At the age of ten, he was injured by a falling beam, and never fully recovered, leaving him in poor health for the rest of his life. After leaving the Academy in 1790, Henry became secretary-companion to Dr. Thomas Percival, the founder of the influential Literary and Philosophical Society of Manchester. Here, Henry began his preliminary studies...