Thomas Thomson, a British chemist, born at Crieff, Perthshire, April 12, 1773, died at Kil-mun, Argyleshire, July 2, 1852. He was educated at the university of St. Andrews and at Edinburgh, and in 1796 became a contributor to the "Encyclopaedia Britannica," his chemical articles in which formed the basis of his "System of Chemistry" (4 vols. 8vo, 1802). He was one of the first to suggest the use of chemical symbols, and among the first to elucidate the atomic theory of Dalton. In 1810 he published the "Elements of Chemistry" (8vo); in 1812, the "History of the Royal Society of London " (4to); and in 1813, " Travels in Sweden," which country he had visited in the previous year. In 1813 he went to London and commenced the " Annals of Philosophy," which he edited till 1822. In 1817 he was chosen lecturer at the university of Glasgow, and in 1818 'was made professor of chemistry, His other works are: "An Attempt to Establish the First Principles of Chemistry by Experiment" (2 vols., 1825); "The History of Chemistry" (2 vols., 1830-'31); "Outlines of Mineralogy and Geology" (2 vols., 1836); and "Brewing and Distillation" (1849). - His son THOMAS, superintendent of the East India company's botanic gardens at Calcutta, has published an account of his travels in the western Himalaya and Thibet (8vo, 1852).